The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Gatens, Cole top picks for summer’s Prime Time League

Matt Gatens and Jarryd Cole have both established themselves as leaders on the Iowa men’s basketball team. So it’s no surprise when the Prime Time League draft took place Wednesday evening, the Hawkeye duo went 1-2.

Choosing from a pool of current and former Iowa and Northern Iowa players as well as incoming recruits, Gatens was chosen with the first overall pick by Dan Ahrens, coach of Jill Armstrong/Lepic Kroger Realtors. The Iowa sophomore-to-be will play alongside Northern Iowa players Matt Schneiderman, John Moran, Matt Morrison, and Adam Rodenberg, among others.

“He made a believer out of me,” Ahrens said. “He was the only one to beat me last year.”

Averaging 10.8 points per game as a freshman, Gatens is the top scorer returning for the Hawkeyes, who finished 10th in the Big Ten last season.

Gatens was immediately followed by Cole, who was selected with the second pick by coach Kevin Sanders. Cole will be teamed with Hawkeye recruit and fellow big man Devon Archie on L.L. Pelling/Iowa City Ready Mix. Sanders believes Cole’s presence will help greatly in Archie’s development into a Big Ten basketball player.

“I selected Jarryd Cole a couple years ago, and we won the championship,” Sanders said. “He’s really disciplined. He’s already been named a cocaptain, which speaks for itself.”

The two big men should pose a dangerous front court for Prime Time League opponents.

Also selected in the first round was Iowa guard Anthony Tucker, who came off the board as the sixth overall pick and averaged 10.4 points a game last season. He will join incoming freshman Brennan Cougill and play for coach Ray Swetalla on Vinton Merchants.

The most Hawkeye heavy squad is Imprinted Sportswear/Goodfellow Printing, which includes current players Aaron Fuller, who went in the second round, and cocaptain Devan Bawinkel, a fourth-round draft pick. Incoming freshman Cully Payne, who went in the third round, will also suit up for Kevin Lehman’s team. The Hawkeye trio will be joined by one from Northern Iowa that is made up of Marc Sonnen, Anthony James, and Antonio Jones.

Iowa big man Andrew Brommer went in the fifth round, and he will suit up for Ron Nove’s squad, Culver’s of Coralville. Redshirt freshman John Lickliter will play for Randy Larson and went in round nine. He will join incoming freshman Eric May, who was chosen in the third round on Mike Gatens Real Estate/McCurry’s, a team cosponsored by Matt Gatens’ father.

The Prime Time League, now in its 23rd season, will hold games every Monday and Wednesday night at the North Liberty Community Center. The league will begin on June 15 with two games tipping off at 6 p.m., followed by one at 7:30 p.m. The league championship will be held July 27.

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