Former Jefferson prep Uthoff will transfer from Wisconsin

Former Cedar Rapids Jefferson prep Jarrod Uthoff is leaving the Wisconsin men's basketball program, according to a report in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.A 6-foot-8 forward, Uthoff red-shirted this past season as a freshman. The 2011 Iowa Mr. Basketball averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds his senior season at Jefferson.His decision to transfer “was a surprise,” according to the Journal-Sentinel. He told The Gazette late in the season the decision to red-shirt was solely his and he didn't second guess himself.“It's been pretty hard not to play, but it's allowed me to work on my game and get stronger,” Uthoff said. “I asked msyelf how I could benefit the team best. Strength-wise, I'm not ready to play, so I decided, ‘OK, it will benefit me and my team by playing a fifth year.'”Uthoff did not immediately return a phone call Thursday evening. His former AAU coach, Jamie Johnson, told The Gazette/Iowa Prep Sports that Wisconsin is placing heavy restrictions on his release, preventing him from tranferring to several programs, including the entire Big Ten Conference.“He told me, ‘I still like it here. It's a good program,'” Johnson said. “He said, ‘As much as I still like it here, I want to go to a place that's a better fit for me.'”