Under-Recruited & Very Much Available
T.J. Rushing
With the live periods completed and the offseason heading into its second phase, there's always guys who we feel have been neglected. These eight guys -- for whatever reason -- are still flying under the radar. As we head into the latter summer months, and then fall, there will be ample opportunity for exposure, so offers could come rolling in still for this talented bunch. But for now, they are the under-recruited.
Garrett Sturtz, 6'3 PG, 2018 (Newton) What an interesting case Garrett Sturtz has become. He's not flashy, but man is he productive. He's so productive that he led his Newton Cardinals to the state tournament last season as a junior, and nearly led them to a win over eventual champ Iowa City West in the quarterfinals. From there he went on to make Iowa Intensity 17U one of the best grassroots teams in the state, before he was nabbed by national power Iowa Barnstormers to help them in July. We have him as our 8th-ranked 2018, that's Division I worthy most years. He currently has zero offers. And as you can see by this recent tweet, he's capable of playing well above the rim.
Garrett Sturtz, 6'3 PG, 2018 (Newton) What an interesting case Garrett Sturtz has become. He's not flashy, but man is he productive. He's so productive that he led his Newton Cardinals to the state tournament last season as a junior, and nearly led them to a win over eventual champ Iowa City West in the quarterfinals. From there he went on to make Iowa Intensity 17U one of the best grassroots teams in the state, before he was nabbed by national power Iowa Barnstormers to help them in July. We have him as our 8th-ranked 2018, that's Division I worthy most years. He currently has zero offers. And as you can see by this recent tweet, he's capable of playing well above the rim.
— Britt (@BrittneyHansen8) August 4, 2017Keith Johnson, 6'5 SF, 2018 (Dubuque, Hempstead) It's puzzling to us that this uber-athletic Dubuque, Hempstead wing only has one offer. Kudos to Upper Iowa being that one school, but there should be a slew of D2s and D1s chomping at the bit to get this kid to their program. He was crazy good at our Expo last fall, and followed that up by helping to lead his team to the 4A State Tourney. He's an above-the-rim player with elite rebounding ability and can hit a triple or a mid-range. He should have more offers, and D1s should be paying attention. Zack Lasek, 6'7 PF, 2020 (Highland, Riverside) Alright, so he's just a rising-sophomore, and he's got a lot of time left for his recruitment to materialize -- but he's good enough to have some in the bag already. Our 2nd-ranked 2020, Lasek is big, bouncy and skilled, and each time we see him, he's punishing the rim. He's a lot like G-H-V's James Betz, who just committed to UNI. Lasek should have offers coming his way very soon. Austin Alexander, 6'6 PG, 2018 (Atlantic) Well, he's 6'6 and plays point guard, that right there should have college coaches clamoring over him. And he happens to play point guard very well. If need be, he could play off the ball, as he's a sharpshooting threat from deep, or he could play the three. Just as important, he can guard several positions. We thought he'd have -- at the very least -- several D2 offers by now, if not some D1 looks. Derrick Diggins, 6'2 G, 2018 (Cedar Rapids Kennedy) Diggins' explosive first step is one that you would see in high-level college hoops, and he pairs it with some nice skill; he led his state tourney team in assists and field goal percentage last season. As our 14th-ranked 2018, Diggins is in surefire D2 territory, if not D1. And as far as we know, he's currently offer-less. If you're not taking a look the electric Cedar Rapids Kennedy rising-senior, it may be worth your time to do so. Luke Vaske, 6' G, 2018 (Norwalk) Ever since the summer heading into his freshman season, Vaske has been one of the more impressive guards we've seen in Iowa. He's able to play off the ball as a shooting-guard -- he shoots it lights out -- or with the ball as an effective point guard. His play has never wavered, always a great playmaker, whether with the Warriors or Martin Brothers. So why doesn't he have any offers? He should. Trey Hutcheson, 6'5 G/F, 2019 (Linn-Mar) This one may not be as egregious as some of the others on this list, Hutcheson did pick up his first D1 offer this summer from North Dakota. But it's our belief that he should have racked up several offers this summer. He's big, physical and most importantly has a lethal jumper. He looks a quintessential Missouri Valley wing. Calling Drake and Northern Iowa. Elijah Hazekamp, 6'6 SF, 2018 (Bishop Heelan) A lot like the aforementioned Sturtz, Hazekamp won't dazzle with crazy handles or electric hops, but he's reliable and gritty playmaker. In almost every viewing we've ever had of the Bishop Heelan forward he's had a major impact on the game. He can do a little bit of everything; shoot, rebound, defend multiple positions. Right now, North Dakota is his lone offer -- they'd be lucky to get him.
