Basketball: With Brackins’ return, Cyclones may make waves

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Greg McDermott’s tenure at Iowa State has been a series of fits and starts. In his first three seasons, McDermott was never quite been able to build a team that could make a run at the postseason.

This could be the year Iowa State finally puts it together.

The Cyclones, bolstered by star forward Craig Brackins’ decision to return for his junior season, appear on the verge of becoming a factor in the Big 12.

Iowa State brings back four starters and it’s added the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year in junior college transfer Marquis Gilstrap.

ISU finished 15-17 last season and 4-12 in the Big 12 and were picked to finish eighth in the league’s preseason poll.

“This is the most talented team we’ve had from top to bottom,” said McDermott, who is 44-51 at Iowa State. “What we’ve added through our recruiting classes is a better athlete, and that was one of our weaknesses last season. We were able to stay close — we just couldn’t quite punch that door down and win those close games in the end.”

McDermott hasn’t posted a winning season in Ames. Expectations are much higher this season and most of the buzz has to do with the return of Brackins.

Brackins flourished last season, averaging 20.2 points and 9.5 rebounds, and his 42-point performance in a loss to Kansas opened eyes across the country. Brackins thought about jumping to the NBA before deciding to return, citing unfinished business.

“I think we’ve added a lot of the pieces we were missing over the last couple years,” said Brackins, who has added 10 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-10 frame. “I think we just have everything we need.”

That means help for Brackins, who too often last season was a one-man show. By all indications, Gilstrap is the swingman who has been sorely missing since Wesley Johnson’s surprise transfer to Syracuse. Gilstrap, who is 6-6, averaged 22.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for Gulf Coast Community College last season.

Iowa State’s backcourt is deeper as well. The Cyclones return two juniors in Diante Garrett and Lucca Staiger, both of whom appear poised for breakout seasons, and they’ve added touted freshman Chris Colvin.

“We need balance,” McDermott said. “We tried it last year with Craig Brackins scoring 20-something points and nobody else getting double figures. It doesn’t work. You have to have three of four different people that can get you 15 to 16 points on any given night, and we’re closer to that now than we’ve ever been.”