AAU tournament filled with D-I prospects

IOWA CITY - Several potential Division I prospects will hit the courts at the Field House this weekend for the second annual Spring Fling AAU Tournament.

The Iowa Barnstormers host the tournament, which includes 38 teams in 15, 16 and 17-year-old categories.  The teams come from four states ?- Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Among the better 17-and-under prospects is Junior Lomomba of the Wisconsin Force. Lomomba is a 6-foot-4 guard/forward from Madison who has attracted some interest from Iowa.

The Barnstormers have a D-I prospect in the 17-and-under category with 6-foot Cedar Falls guard James Harrington, who was a second-team Class 4A pick in March. Harrington averaged 19.7 points a game for Cedar Falls in high school play.

Most of the top potential prospects are in the younger categories, according to Jamie Johnson, the Barnstormers co-director. Luke Fischer, a 6-foot-8 post, and Brendan Ortiz, a 6-1 point guard, will play for 16-and-under Wisconsin squads and have major conference schools looking at them.

The Barnstormers are loaded in the 16-and-under with Iowa City West's Dondre Alexander and Jeremy Morgan, son of former Iowa player Michael Morgan, and Dubuque Senior's Damen Zevnik. Perhaps even stronger is the Barnstormers' 15-and-under group with Casey Schlatter of Iowa Falls, Kyle Haber and Seth Bonifas from Dubuque Senior, Cedar Rapids Xavier's Matt Nelson and Iowa City West's Wyatt Lohaus, son of former Hawkeye Brad Lohaus.

Haber, who stands 6-5, has garnered interest from Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Bonifas and Schlatter were ranked among the top 50 players at the Pangos All-Midwest Frosh/Soph Camp in Deerfield, Ill.

"They're young guys with big-time potential," Johnson said.

Last year's inaugural tournament attracted about 24 teams, Johnson said.Johnson brought the tournament to Iowa City to coincide with the Iowa spring football game and showcase the town for potential Division I prospects.

" Obviously we play in a lot of tournaments around the country so it's nice to have a quality tournament in our own backyard and bring the competition to us," Johnson said.

The tournament begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with competition scheduled until Saturday night. Sunday's competition concludes with the championship round beginning at 3 p.m.