Nov. 12, 2003
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The University of Iowa men’s basketball program received letters of intent from three high school seniors on the first day of the early signing period, according to Hawkeye Coach Steve Alford.
The recruits include guard Carlton Reed from East HS in Waterloo and forwards Alex Thompson from Ames HS and Seth Gorney from Butler HS in Vandalia, Ohio.
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“This group is athletic, they are good students and great kids who have had outstanding coaching while competing in winning programs.”
Iowa Coach Steve Alford
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Reed (6-3, 175) averaged 20.3 points and 5.3 rebounds as a junior, shooting 48% from three-point range and 86% from the free throw line. He can play either of the guard positions. He was a first team all-state selection by the Iowa Newspaper Association as a junior and earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the state tournament.
Reed played with current Iowa guard Mike Henderson at East, where the two helped the Trojans post a 67-7 record over the past two seasons. East won the Class 4-A state title last season, posting a 25-1 overall record. Reed and Henderson were named co-Players of the Year in their division of the Mississippi Valley Conference a year ago.
“Carlton comes from an outstanding program, he has one state title and knows how to win,” stated Alford. “He is a versatile player that will add athleticism to our backcourt.”
Thompson (6-9, 200) led Ames in scoring, rebounding and assists as a junior with averages of 16.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He was named second team all-state after earning first team all-conference honors in the Central Iowa Metro League.
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Alford said he hopes to solidify the strong start on this year’s recruiting class with additional signings in the spring.
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Thompson, who moved into the starting line-up in his sophomore season, was Ames’ MVP a year ago. He was named as an all-American at the NIKE Camp this past summer, one of 20 players to earn that recognition, and was selected to participate in the NBA Developmental Top 100 Camp in Norfolk, VA. Thompson also played on the Martin Brothers AAU team from the state of Iowa that placed second in the nation at the 17-and-under national tournament in Florida.
“Alex and Carlton are two of the very best seniors in our state,” said Alford. “Alex can play inside and out on the floor, he’s very versatile. Alex had a great summer and his talents will fit our system very well.”
Gorney (7-0, 260) helped Butler HS post a 21-2 record during his junior season, playing as both a forward and center. He averaged 13 points and nine rebounds per outing a year ago.
“The addition of Seth and Alex will allow us to sustain the size advantage we currently have with Glen Worley, Jared Reiner and Sean Sonderleiter,” noted Alford. “We hope to have a big inside presence this year with those seniors, and we hope to continue that in the future with players such as Seth and Alex.
Signing these three players is a great way for us to start a very good recruiting year,” concluded Alford. “This group is athletic, they are good students and great kids who have had outstanding coaching while competing in winning programs. We hope to solidify this class with additional signings in the spring.”
Iowa has five seniors on its 2003-04 roster, guard Brody Boyd, forwards Glen Worley, Sean Sonderleiter and Kurt Spurgeon and center Jared Reiner. Guard Adam Haluska, a transfer who is redshirting this season, has three years of eligibility remaining, beginning with the 2004-05 season.