Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball

Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter confirmed his players will compete in the Prime Time League this summer, which is held at the North Liberty Recreation Center.

Lickliter had discussed the Prime Time League and its inadequacies during a press conference in early March. Now, he’s changed his mind.

“The thing that concerned me more than anything was just … I wanted to develop a real sense of urgency and a competitiveness of it,” Lickliter said. “Sometimes I felt like with the league you played a game and now it’s over and there wasn’t any (penalty for losing). Whereas if you play pick-up games and if you lose, you have to sit out.”

Lickliter and Prime Time League founder and president Randy Larson discussed the league’s format, and that satisfied Lickliter.

“What I’m looking for, and I think what Randy is going to do, is emphasize the competitiveness of it,” Lickliter said. “Hopefully, just by emphasizing it and just by being competitive, and getting the right guys, I think we’ll be OK. I think it’s the right way to go.”

Lickliter told the media in March about his time at Butler University in Indianapolis when former players would return to play pick-up games in the summer against current players. He preferred that type of basketball.

“I’ve mentioned this before, when you’re in a city, you have players coming back,” Lickliter said. “You have more access to players and so open gyms are easier. It’s not quite as easy (in Iowa City)."

“I can the see the need for Prime Time and why it was started and…Randy’s a competitive guy he doesn’t have any problem emphasizing the competition."

Tryouts are held June 6.

“They’ll be up there if they get drafted,” Lickliter said with a laugh.

Iowa’s basketball captains for next year are junior forward Jarryd Cole and senior guard Devan Bawinkel, Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter said tonight.

Cole, a 6'7'' post, played in all 32 games last year and averaged 3.7 points and 3.0 rebounds a game. Cole joined graduating senior Cyrus Tate as a co-captain last year. Cole started a slow coming off knee surgery but started nine games.

Bawinkel , a 6'5'' perimeter guard, played his first season at Iowa last year, after transferring from Highland(Ill.) Community College. Bawinkel played in every game and started nine. He averaged 4.8 points a game and shot a team-high 139 3-pointers. All but five of his shots were 3-point attempts.

“I think they’re showing terrific leadership,” Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter said Wednesday at the Marshall County I-Club banquet.

Lickliter said recruiting efforts for the upcoming season are ongoing, and he’s got a recruit coming in this weekend. Lickliter declined to say if this recruit was for 2009 or 2010.

Sources close to the program say the player visiting is a transfer from another Division I program who won’t be eligible until the 2010-11 basketball season.

“We’re still recruiting,” Lickliter said. “There are some out there. I’m really comfortable with the group we have. Would you like to have a little more depth? Yeah, but I’ve been here two years now, and we haven’t given out 13 scholarships. Yet I’m not that concerned about that."

“We will have a visit this weekend," LIckliter said. "I don’t know for sure how that will play out.”

Iowa currently has 10 players under scholarship for the upcoming season. Along with Cole and Bawinkel, Iowa returns sophomores Matt Gatens, Andrew Brommer, Aaron Fuller, and Anthony Tucker, who likely will regain his eligibility following semester finals.

Entering the program this year are incoming freshmen Cully Payne, Eric May, and Brennan Cougill, along with junior-college transfer Devon Archie. Iowa also has red-shirt freshman John Lickliter, the coach’s son.

Four players from last year’s roster—guards Jake Kelly, Jeff Peterson, Jermain Davis, and forward David Palmer—left the program.

“Having 11 is probably thin, but it’s very manageable,” Lickliter said. “It’s not important how many you have, but who you have. And I really like who we have, and I like the spots that we have filled. At least now I feel that we have a good grasp of where we’re at and what our needs are and who’s going to be involved. I think you can really paint a much clearer picture for our recruiting efforts."

“We could [add another player]," Lickliter said. "I wouldn’t say it’s pressing or that it’s guaranteed. But we could.”

If Iowa adds a transfer from another school, the player must sit out for a season but likely will be placed under scholarship. Iowa has three scholarships available for this fall but has two commitments for the 2010 season—Sioux City Heelan’s Zach McCabe and Sioux Falls prep Cody Larson.

With Bawinkel the only senior, Iowa would need to hold at least one scholarship open for those commitments.

Iowa also has added a walk-on for the upcoming season. Nick Neari, a 6'3'' guard from St. Charles(Ill.) North High School, is a close friend of Payne. He averaged 14 points a game in suburban Chicago.

Lickliter said he can’t comment on walk-on players.

“You can say that we’re going to have some, but they have to arrive, enroll and be on the roster. No different than a recruit.”

Neari, who stands 6-foot-3, averaged more than 14 points, four rebounds and four assists a game in one of Illinois’ best conferences. He scored 30 points in a Class 4A regional. For more on Neari, I’d suggest reading this piece by Erik Jacobsen, a former colleague of mine who now works in suburban Chicago. 

Neari was named player of the year by the Press-Republican (a suburban Chicago newspaper) this year. Here’s a clip on that publication’s Web site:

Neari competed against Iowa recruit Cully Payne in neighborhood basketball games as a youth. They lived in the same neighborhood and have been friends since sixth grade. Neari credits his friendship with Payne as a reason to walk on at Iowa. Neari had other chances to play at Division II and Division III schools.

Here’s a scouting clip of Neari playing football at St. Charles North:

Vincennes’ Devon Archie committed to the Iowa basketball program last month. Despite the spring national signing period beginning last Wednesday, Archie remains unsigned.

Archie, a 6'9" forward, has yet to turn in his paperwork to Iowa, but there appears to be no change of heart, according to a couple of Iowa officials. Archie’s mother still has to sign his letter of intent, and the two have had a little difficulty getting together to ink the proper paperwork.

An Iowa official said Saturday that Archie’s paperwork likely will be sent back Monday. Archie averaged 6.8 points and six rebounds a game last season while starting 19 of 30 games. Iowa already has received a signed letter of intent from high school point guard Cully Payne.

Also, Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter spent Friday recruiting in Dallas, just hours after wining and dining boosters in Fort Dodge on Thursday night. Iowa still has three scholarships to offer, and Lickliter told me Wednesday he plans to offer at least one more for this fall. Iowa could bank the other two for the next school year.

Wednesday, Iowa officially signed Schaumburg (Ill.) prep guard Cully Payne. Iowa is still waiting for the official letter of intent from Vincennes University (junior college) forward Devon Archie. Iowa’s scholarship availability comes after four players with eligibility left the program shortly after the season.

Iowa originally had a visit scheduled Friday with Chipola (Fla.) Junior College guard Malcolm Armstead. But Armstead canceled the trip and instead will visit St. John’s in New York City.

Lickliter wouldn’t discuss Armstead or any player not officially signed with Iowa, per NCAA rules.

“All I can really say is they’ve (the visits) been postponed,” Lickliter said. “I can’t comment any more than that, but they’ve been postponed.

“It’s a funny thing. You have to deal with what is, and just deal with the facts and be thankful for what you do have. What I continue to say is the group we have, I’m so excited about and so that’s where my focus is right now.”

Lickliter couldn’t comment on Archie, but he raved about Payne, a 6'1" point guard. Payne originally committed to DePaul while in eighth grade, but changed his mind last year. Payne then signed with Alabama but was released from his scholarship after Alabama coach Mark Gottfried resigned.

Lickliter said he targeted Payne last summer when Iowa held a basketball camp. But the camp was cancelled when floods devastated Iowa City last June.

“It was somebody that (Iowa assistant coach) Chad Walthall had known about him,” Lickliter said. “We knew him, we were always impressed with the way he played the game and what he brought to it and when the opportunity came, it made a lot of sense. It makes sense to him, and I love that. When it makes sense to both of you, and you agree, then we knew it was a great fit.

“You never know what’s going to happen, and so we didn’t anticipate it (Payne becoming available). But I think it was probably a benefit of Chad’s efforts through the years.”

Payne averaged more than 22 points and seven assists last year before suffering a stress fracture in his back. Payne told The Gazette last week when he committed to Iowa that he compares his style of play with perennial NBA All-Star Steve Nash.

“He plays at a great pace,” Lickliter said. “He’s very competitive. He’s a very capable scorer, but he’s not defined by that. He doesn’t have to score to feel like he’s successful. So I think he’s somebody who gives us a lot of poise in the backcourt and our other guys are working extremely hard.

“I think we’ve got positions filled that are going to complement one another, and I’m excited about the chemistry of this team. And he adds to that.”

Archie, a 6'8" sophomore from Indianapolis, averaged 6.8 points and six rebounds last season for Vincennes. He started 19 of 30 games. Lickliter wouldn’t comment about Archie.

“We’re expecting one other (signing) but the rules are until it’s in hand, you can’t make comments,” Lickliter said.

Iowa signed two players last fall: Dubuque Wahlert guard/forward Eric May and Sioux City Heelan center Brennan Cougill. Returning to the team next fall are incoming sophomores Matt Gatens, Aaron Fuller, Andrew Brommer, and John Lickliter; junior Jarryd Cole and senior Devan Bawinkel. Current freshman Anthony Tucker, who was ineligible for the second semester, is on pace academically to rejoin the team.

Leaving the program were guards Jeff Peterson, Jake Kelly, and Jermain Davis; and forward David Palmer. Cyrus Tate and J.R. Angle have graduated or will graduate in May.

Lickliter joined wrestling coach Tom Brands and other Iowa coaches at the first I-Club stop this spring. About 175 people showed up at the event. The Boone-Story I-Club includes Ames, home of Iowa State.

Iowa’s men’s basketball team plans to sign two players to letters of intent today, the first official day basketball recruits can sign with colleges this spring.

Vincennes University (a junior college basketball program in Indiana) forward Devon Archie (6'9") committed to Iowa in March. Archie started 19 of 30 games at Vincennes, averaging 6.8 points and six rebounds a game. He hit 54.5 percent of his field goals, but sank just 43.8 percent of his foul shots.

Schaumburg High School (Ill.) point guard Cully Payne also expects to sign a letter of intent. Payne, who stands 6'1", committed to Iowa last week. He averaged 22 points last year, but was hindered by a stress fracture in his back. Payne missed the last half of the basketball season.

Archie and Payne will join 6'9" Brennan Cougill, a Sioux City Heelan center, and 6'4" Eric May (Dubuque Wahlert) this fall. Chipola (Fla.) Junior College freshman guard Malcolm Armstead (6'1") is scheduled to visit Iowa on Friday.

Iowa has at least two more scholarships to offer after four players with eligibility left the program following the season. Sophomore guard Jake Kelly will sign with Indiana State, while junior guard Jermain Davis will sign with Division II Minnesota State-Mankato. Sophomore guard Jeff Peterson is still searching for a school, as is junior forward David Palmer, who will graduate in May. Palmer is looking at playing Division II basketball.

Iowa’s women's team expects to sign one player on Wednesday. Ames’ Trisha Nesbitt averaged 16.2 points last year while leading Ames to the Class 4A state finals. Nesbitt, a four-year starter, had 128 assists, 81 rebounds, and 65 steals last year.

Nesbitt joined a class of five next fall. Iowa signed Linn-Mar’s Jaime Printy, Platte County (Mo.) center Morgan Johnson, Gabby Machado of Pontiac, Mich., and Theairra Taylor of St. Paul (Minn.) Central. Taylor suffered a torn ACL in her left knee and her status is undetermined next year.

Basketball players can sign with colleges beginning today through May 20.

“I’m excited and I’m ready to help turn the program around,” Payne said. “Coach (Todd) Lickliter has got the program headed in the right direction.”

Payne, a 6'0" point guard, originally committed to DePaul as an eighth-grader, but re-opened the recruiting process before his senior year.

He then signed a letter of intent to play for Alabama, but when coach Mark Gottfried resigned this year, Payne obtained a scholarship release. He immediately was interested in Iowa, and the feeling was mutual.

“They were definitely on my radar,” Payne said. “We were joking tonight with coach Lickliter that I was supposed to go to the elite camp there, but then the flood came. I guess it just really meant I was supposed to be a Hawkeye. They’ve been my No. 1 since (being released from Alabama).”

Payne toured Iowa City during a campus visit last week, but Iowa officials could not contact him from 12:01 p.m. last Thursday through 12:01 p.m. today. The NCAA imposed a week-long recruiting dead period wrapped around the Final Four.

Payne said he thought Iowa was the right fit, but wanted to allow his family to meet Lickliter to make sure. Lickliter visited Payne in his home today, and Payne gave Lickliter his verbal commitment.

Since his release from Alabama, Payne was recruited by Iowa’s fan base as well. He said he’s received several e-mails and calls from Iowa’s fans encouraging him to attend the school. His girlfriend’s older sister is an Iowa graduate, and that also pushed him toward the school.

“I’m real excited,” he said. “I haven’t heard one negative thing said about Iowa.”

Payne scored 22 points and averaged five assists last year before injuring his back midway through the season. He said his style of play is similar to that of perennial NBA all-star Steve Nash. He said he can score but “it really depends on the situation.”

“I’m definitely a true point guard, someone who can really run the show and get guys involved in the offense,” he said.

Payne is the fourth recruit in Iowa’s 2009 class. Last fall, Sioux City Heelan center Brennan Cougill and Dubuque Wahlert guard/forward Eric May signed letters of intent to Iowa. Last month, Vincennes Junior College forward Devon Archie committed to the Hawkeyes.

Iowa can offer three more scholarships after four players—guards Jake Kelly, Jeff Peterson, Jermain Davis and forward David Palmer—left the Iowa men’s basketball program last month.

It’s likely Iowa will offer only two, however. Chipola (Fla.) Junior College guard Malcolm Armstead and teammate Torye Pelham plan to visit Iowa on April 17.

Payne and Archie will sign official letters of intent on April 15, the first allowable spring date under NCAA rules. Coaches cannot comment about players until they sign letters of intent.