Iowa basketball has visitors this week

IOWA CITY - Sunrise Christian Academy forward Eric Katenda is the second player from the Wichita, Kan.-based school to visit Iowa in the past three weekends.

Katenda, who comes to Iowa this weekend, stands 6-foot-9. Katenda's teammate, 6-foot-10 Gabe Olaseni, came to Iowa City the weekend of March 25 and is more of a pure post player. Both have planned visits to other campuses as well. Olaseni is a London, England native, while Katenda hails originally from France.

National recruiting analyst Van Coleman said it's possible both players could come to Iowa. After point guard Cully Payne elected to transfer, Iowa now has three open scholarships for next year. Iowa already signed Cedar Rapids Washington shooting guard Josh Oglesby and Strongsville (Ohio) forward Aaron White.

"I think they'd take one or both," Coleman said. "Now with three scholarships, if they had the opportunity to take both kids, I think they might take both kids.

"I think at this point if you get the opportunity to take a kid who can face up and take you off the dribble, like the way Katenda does, and a kid who can sit in the back of your press and block shots like Olaseni does, I think you make your team better if you do that. And then you still have a scholarship for your one real need, which now looks like to be point guard."

Iowa has multiple scholarship offers to point guards, including Cedar Rapids Washington's Wes Washpun. Washpun will take an unofficial visit to Iowa on Thursday. Iowa is in play for several other guards including Brewster (N.H.) Academy's Eli Carter and Shaquille Stokes of New York's Abraham Lincoln High School. Iowa is active looking at several junior-college guards including Ty Nurse of Midland (Texas) College, Pierre Jackson of the College of Southern Idaho, Matt Glover of Sheridan (Wy.) Community College and Anthony Hubbard of Frederick (Md.) Community College.

"This staff very close to the vest with it, and I think there's a reason," Coleman said. "They don't want it to get out until they good shape. I think that's their way of doing things, which may be a little different than somebody else, who might want it to all be out and, 'Let's talk about.' They tend be a little closer to the vest, and that's what works for them."