The three Cyclone basketball players who made you the fan you are today

[cyclones500]

A memorable game was when Stipanovich (Mizzou) bounce the ball off Lefty's head and Coach Orr went out on the court to protest the lack of a foul call.

I remember that one from listening on radio. I think Orr waved this hands above his head until he got the refs' attention.

 

[StevieISU23]

Pratt, Cato

Nurse, Horton, Stevie Johnson, Fizer

McGee, Babb

Georges, Matty Ice, Naz

 

[Aclone]

Barry Stevens, Jeff Grayer and Jeff Hornacek.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Fizer, Tinsley, and Nurse.

Honorable mention for Horton, but I started watching the season before he came.

 

[CapnCy]

any mention of Bankhead gets a thumbs up from me. Dude did all the dirty work - loved him has a player. My buddies and I were students then and would bring a 'All Bankhead All the Time" sign to games.

That's awesome! I do think sometimes among the "all time greats" we sometimes forget a lot of guys like him, Dustin Hogue, etc. Need one of those guys on the team.

 

[ABECyguy]

Matt Thomas, Niang, and Monte, with honorable mention to Nader.

My first season as a Cyclone fan was my freshman year in 2015-2016 with the first game I watched being the Iowa game — the come from behind down 20 at half to win on Monte’s floater. My first game at Hilton was the January 2016 Kansas game. Camped out for 3 days with friends and people who became my best friends and witnessed the 13(?) point win with the Thomas steal and dunk at the end sealing it.

That team was so fun to watch because when they were on they could light it up. I think that season was also where the “uhhh Nader!” clip came from.

 

[Allikat]

Barry Stevens, Jeff Hornacek, and Georges Niang

Same here. Barry started it. Hornacek fueled it. Niang revived it.

 

[gocy444]

Craig Brackins was my first true Cyclone basketball love, George’s Niang proved we can be elite, Tyrus McGee because I loved watching him hit 24 fade aways.

 

[mjhavlo76]

Hornacek, Rashon Clark, and Melvin Ejim.

 

[mjhavlo76]

Stinson, Blalock, Clark

Definitely Clark! Stinson and Blalock. Meh.. Rashon saw them bail on us and he was like, “Nah, I’m good here”. And still is as loyal and true to this day!

 

[awd4cy]

Definitely Clark! Stinson and Blalock. Meh.. Rashon saw them bail on us and he was like, “Nah, I’m good here”. And still is as loyal and true to this day!

Stinson and Blalock were ballers too. Reason I picked all 3 was those were the teams where my cyclone fandom took off as a 12-13 year old. Could have put Jake Sullivan, Jackson Vroman, Jared Homan in there as well.

 

[ClonesTwenty1]

Stinson, Vroman and Sullivan.

 

[atlantacyclone]

My Dad, my Dad and my Dad.

 

[1961Cylones]

Who are the three Cyclone basketball players who most contributed to your love of Hilton and Cyclone basketball? It doesn't have to be the greatest player you ever saw play or a huge statistical performer. Who did you watch play that made you identify as a Cyclone fan from the start, or turned you into the fan you are today?

For me coming of age as a sports fan, it was Barry Stevens, Jeff Grayer, and Justus Thigpen. I spent so many hours in the driveway pretending to be one of them. I saw Jeff Grayer in an airport once a few years ago and was too star struck to go talk to him. Justus was a junior the year I arrived at ISU, and put up some legendary performances that year including the famous floor shaker against OSU and a buzzer beater against KU. Barry was pure talent, so damn smooth. All were Flint guys Johnny got to come to Ames.

Who were yours?

Jeff Hornacek, Jeff Grayer, and Georges Niang.