What Player(s) Got You Hooked On College Basketball?

[cyfanatic13]

Grew up a cyclone fan. Was too young to really remember much of the Frizer and Tinsley teams. However, I do remember Curtis Stinson. So i would consider him and Jake Sullivan to a lesser degree as being my childhood favorite college basketball players.

Guessing we're about the same age. Stinson and Blalock are the first two players I remember being a fan of as a kid, but Rahshon Clark is the reason 13 is my favorite number.

I also remember listening to a lot of ISU basketball on the radio with my dad growing up and Diante Garrett and Craig Brackins were fun to root for, we were just so bad that it was tough to be "hooked"

Chris Babb was an underrated Cyclone IMO. I used to think I was so cool doing his "feed me" thing he'd do after making threes playing pick up ball. The teams with Royce and Tyrus McGee is probably the first I can remember being truly hooked on ISU BB. I made sure I watched just about every game then.

I also have vivid memories of watching the women make the Elite 8 in 2009 and being a huge fan of Alison Lacey. Then watched a lot of ISU WBB when Chelsea Poppens played since she was from my hometown and worked for my parents while she was in high school

 

[FLYINGCYCLONE]

“Poison “ Ivy

 

[clonechemist]

When I turned 8, it’s like a switch got flipped and I became OBSESSED with sports. Every night I’d read the entire sports section from the Trib. College hoops and NBA were my favorites, but we were an ISU family living in Ames so there was really no contest.

Two particular memories that stand out for me:

The Duke/Kentucky game in 1992, I just happened to watch by myself in my room. I still remember being shocked by the Laettner shot.

For ISU in Thigpen’s senior season, I can still see in my mind the final play at Colorado - inbounds pass to Hoiberg at halfcourt, relay pass to Thigpen, and he nails a 3 to win at the buzzer. Went absolutely nuts with my bro and my mom and we went so crazy that our springer spaniel got excited and bit me.

After that I was a full on fanatic. Growing up in Ames we would go watch summer league games with all the college and high school stars at city hall.

 

[madguy30]

Victor Alexander was the first Cyclone I remember. Otherwise for ISU the Thigpen/Hoiberg/Julius/Meyer teams were my first regular viewing.

Phillips 66 games on KCRG/ABC on Saturday afternoon. Fun times.

I remember seeing the Laettner turn around jumper live that was my first March Madness moment that I remember.

 

[AlaCyclone]

My Starting Five:

Reginald King @ Alabama: The Mule! A man against boys
Kiki VanDeWeghe @ UCLA:-*
John Williams @ LSU: Could play all five positions and did!
Fred Hoiberg @ Iowa State: The Mayor!
Tucker DeVries @ Drake: Makes it look so easy every night.

*-Kiki is the only one I didn't see play in person, but his play in the 1980 NCAA Tournament (lost to Louisville in the Final) made me an NCAA Tournament Junkie.

 

[Ames Is God's Country]

Dedric Willoughby

 

[isuclone89]

1983, 1984, 1985 teams.

 

[Sparkplug]

Hercle “Poison” Ivy. There was never a shot he didn’t like

Ivy was before the three point shot. His numbers would be even more amazing

 

[NWICY]

It was a series of players for me:


Hercle Ivy - Went off in first ISU game I attended in person
Dean Uthoff - First ISU player I met, he was from CR area as was I
Barry Stevens - The Shot against Mizzuri
Jeff Grayer and Jeff Hornacek ( and really Johnny Orr) after their run I was completely hooked.

Yep that one game has cost me a lot of money over the yrs season tkts ever since. But you know what it's been worth it. IMO.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Sullivan.

 

[NENick]

Listening on the radio:
Fred Brown and John Johnson Iowa team, Ralph Miller coach.
1969 Drake team: Willie McCarter, Glenn Vidnovic, Chad Calabria ...
Hercle Ivy.

But then Jeff Grayer solidified me as a Cyclone fan (with help from Jeff Hornacek and Johnny Orr).

 

[el tornado]

Orr's early teams hooked me... Stevens, Hornacek, Grayer, it was the best

 

[bsaltyman]

Hoiberg, Loren Meyer, and Julius Michalik

 

[Sioux_Per_Cy]

Stealing a conversation from The Drive on KXNO yesterday as I thought it was a good topic. What player or players first got you hooked on college basketball? Doesn't even have to be Iowa State players either could be any player or moment that you remember as when you started to follow college basketball on a bigger level. Can even include women's players too if you want.

For me probably was the Hoiberg and Loren Meyer team that got me hooked on ISU basketball and the Willougby/Cato team too. When I went "all in" hooked was definitely my freshman year in college in 1998 with Marcus Fizer and I loved watching Michael Nurse on that team too. I've had season tickets every year since 1998 minus the lost year during COVID when only a select few could get into games during 20-21 and I'm probably thankful I didn't have to sit through that 2 win season as I've seen some rough years before but not nearly as bad as that one was.

For the women I didn't watch or follow them at all until my freshman year in college and Angie Welle was probably that player that kept me going to games as she was a freshman that year too but Stacy Freese and Megan Taylor were fun to watch then as well. ESPN+ has been great to be able to catch their games now as I don't have the time to commit to season tickets to both them and the men. I still try to make it to a few women's games most years if I can.

Hercle “poison” Ivy

 

[Proton]

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Barry Stevens, Ronnie “ice man’ Virgil, Jeff Hornecek, Sammy Hill, Lafester Rhodes, Ron Falencheck (sp?), Kenny Pratt, plus many more!

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Barry Stevens, Ronnie “ice man’ Virgil, Jeff Hornecek, Sammy Hill, Lafester Rhodes, Ron Falencheck (sp?), Kenny Pratt, plus many more!

Oops, forgot a big one…Jeff Grayer!!!

 

[RonBurgundy]

Missed Barry by a year, but was fortunate to be in school for Jeff Grayer, Hornacek, and Sweet Sammy Hill.

 

[danvillecyclone]

For the Clones it was Jeff Grayer. I can mention all of the great Cyclones and the role players, but as I said, Jeff Grayer was the main first one. Great player.

But as a mid 80’s to early 90’s kid, there are a number on non-cyclones.

Jordan
Ewing
Coach Jimmy V
Rollie Massimino

Then the UNLV’s the Duke’s the Loyola Marymount’s. Very entertaining.

The Great teams of the Big 8.

Our HS AD would wheel the TV into the “study hall” and it was a free for all during March Madness.

Excused from class , watching whatever over-the-air CBS put on.

Probably because I was running the NCAA brackets and most of the teachers were in it.

Formative Years.

 

[alarson]

The first I can remember are kelvin cato and Kenny Pratt. But fizer/tinsley are definitely in contention as well