The Iowa City West boy’s basketball program has had one hell of a run in recent years, winning three-consecutive state titles and producing college basketball players on a yearly basis. This summer, two Trojan alumni have teamed up and are on display in the Prime Time League.
When Northern Iowa agreed to return to the Prime Time League, that gave sophomore Jeremy Morgan an opportunity to return to his hometown and play competitively in front of his family and friends.
“It’s nice to be able to come down,” Morgan said. “I get to come see my family. It’s not something you get to do all the time.”
In his Prime Time début, Morgan poured in 11 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 2 assists. He did most of his damage during a hot streak late in the second half and made several impressive shots from tough spots on the floor.
Morgan was also lucky enough to be drafted by coach Dan Ahrens, who used his next selection in order to pair the 6-7 swingman with his former high-school running mate, Dondre Alexander.
“It’s good to get to play with him again,” Morgan said. “We’re close to each other, and that chemistry is always good for teams and helps us do better.”
“It feels just like high school. I know if I pass him the ball, he’s going to make it or make a good play,” Alexander said. “I know the type of player he is, and I think it makes me a better player playing with him.”
Currently playing at State Fair Community College in Missouri, Alexander participated in Prime Time last summer, and if playing with Morgan makes him a better player, then opposing teams are in big trouble this season.
The 6-6 forward had a strong performance in Week 1 alongside Morgan and Iowa’s Jarrod Uthoff, scoring 20 points and grabbing 6 rebounds. What stood out, however, was his athleticism and quickness for a player with such a strong frame.
“Dondre has the quickest step I’ve seen since [Panther head coach] Ben Jacobson played here,” Ahrens said. “I’ve seen a lot of kids; his first step is unbelievable. He should be an NFL wide receiver.”
It may be a little late for the NFL, but Alexander is hoping to continue playing basketball and improving, and eventually he’d like to take his performance at the Prime Time to a larger college program.
“I definitely think when I’m playing against Division-I players that I need to up my level to show that I can play with those guys,” Alexander said. “I’m planning on it already.”
Alexander says that knowing and playing with Morgan provided an added comfort level, but Ahrens noticed another dynamic between the former Trojan stars.
“They feed off of each other for energy. They feed off one another competitively,” he said. “The positive energy of one helps the other. If one gets better, the other has to get better and better.”
