In the house
A pair of potential future Hawkeyes were among the 15,500 on hand for Saturday’s Iowa-Illinois basketball game.
Recruits Aaron Fuller, a 6-foot-7 forward from Mesa, Ariz., and 6-5 shooting guard Chris Babb of Arlington, Texas, joined prep sophomore Harrison Barnes of Ames, Iowa, in the seats directly behind the Hawkeye bench.
Fuller averages 23 points and just under 11 rebounds per game for his high school team. He is being heavily recruited by a number of West Coast schools, but lists Washington State and Iowa at the top of his list currently.
Babb originally committed to New Mexico but has re-opened his recruitment. A Kansas native, he is regarded as one of the top shooting prospects in the talent-rich state of Texas. He led The Oakridge School to a 30-6 record this season, averaging around 28 points per game. He will visit Penn State this weekend and made a previous recruiting visit to Oral Roberts.
Iowa signed four players in November and has two remaining scholarships for its 2008 recruiting class.
One of the nation’s top prep basketball coaches was in attendance Saturday as well. Gene Pingatore, who recorded over 800 wins while coaching at Westchester St. Joseph in suburban Chicago was there to watch two of his former players, Iowa’s Tony Freeman and Illinois freshman Demetri McCamey, compete against each other in their first collegiate match-up.
The list of standouts who have played for Pingatore is a long one, including for Indiana all-American Isiah Thomas.
