It’s official: Tomislav Ivisic has been cleared to play.
“Hi Illini family, this is Tomislav Ivisic, and I got great news for you,” Ivisic said in a video posted Thursday by Illinois men’s basketball on X. “I got cleared to play, so I will see you all on Monday. I-L-L.”
The native of Croatia had been going through the clearance process with the NCAA regarding his amateurism status since committing to Illinois back in May. The 7-foot-1 Ivisic spent the last three seasons playing for SC Derby in Montenegro as a member of the Adriatic League.
Despite being cleared, Ivisic will lose one year of eligibility, making him a sophomore. He is also required to make a financial repayment as a part of being reinstated in the form of a donation to a charity of his choice.
“We appreciate the NCAA for its diligence, the great work done by our compliance staff, and the communication and cooperation between all parties throughout this process,” said head coach Brad Underwood in a press release. “We are happy for Tomislav that his status has been resolved favorably. He is thrilled to be able to take the court and compete with his teammates.”
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Ivisic started at center in Sunday’s exhibition loss to Ole Miss, and he was a bright spot in an otherwise rough loss for the Illini. Ivisic scored 12 points on 5-6 shooting from the field and 2-3 shooting from beyond the arc. He also grabbed six rebounds.
Ivisic will make his collegiate debut on Monday, Nov. 4, in Illinois’ season opener against Eastern Illinois at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
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