Basketball recruiting: Dondre Alexander, Jeremy Morgan keeping options open

NORTH LIBERTY - Three members of the Iowa Barnstormers' AAU basketball program are pondering their college future as either football or basketball athletes.

Juniors Jeremy Morgan and Dondre Alexander of Iowa City West and Riverside-Oakland junior Ricky Williams have received either contact or scholarship offers from several Division I schools. The trio hopes to catch the eyes of national college basketball coaches in the coming months as their AAU team soars into the primary evaluation period.

"It's going to be a big summer," said Morgan, a 6-foot-6 guard. "I'm just going to come out and use the team success to get my success."

Morgan helped lead Iowa City West to the Class 4A state title and a 26-0 finish in basketball, averaging 14.8 points and leading the Trojans in assists. In football, he caught 44 passes for 724 yards and seven touchdowns to help West advance to the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

"I'm still leaving the football option open," said Morgan, son of Iowa men's basketball player Michael Morgan and a first-team all-state guard.

Morgan has a basketball offer from Division II powerhouse Winona State and has interest from Iowa, Wisconsin, Creighton, Nebraska, Northern Iowa and Lehigh. He has football interest from Iowa, Iowa State and Florida.

Alexander earned second-team all-state honors as one of the state's top wide receivers last year, catching 65 passes from 974 yards and five scores. He was a first-team all-state guard in basketball, leading West with 16 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

In football, Alexander has interest from Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa State and Notre Dame. He said he's had looks from Iowa, Iowa State, UNI and Creighton in basketball. Alexander said he's had no offers to this point.

Alexander said he's committed to playing basketball in college, regardless of his football prospects.

"I'm getting looked at way more for football, but still I just want to play basketball," Alexander said.

"I can't even explain it. I love this game so much, I can't even see myself playing another sport later."

Williams, who stands 6-7 and weighs 275, averaged 21.9 points and 12.1 rebounds as a Class 1A first-team all-state pick from Riverside-Oakland. He has football scholarship offers from Iowa and Iowa State and basketball offers from Iowa State and Creighton.

"Basketball is still my key main sport right now," Williams said.

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Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior Josiah Coleman said he'll pick his college later this week. Coleman, who averaged 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds a game, will choose between Iowa Western or Southeastern community colleges.