‘Old’ Hawkeyes valuable Prime Time assets

Duez Henderson hears the whispers when he touches the basketball in Prime Time League action in North Liberty. On the court, that translates into smack talk, especially against 19-year-old college players.

“It's just getting out there and competing and seeing the new guys who like to call you old,” said Henderson, 29, who ended his Hawkeye career in 2002. “You have to come out and prove yourself. I'm always joking with Darryl Moore and Kenyon Murray that I'm chasing those guys for all-time career games played in Prime Time.”

Murray, 35, who graduated from Iowa in 1996, has hung up his PTL shoes. Moore, 33, finished his Iowa career in 1998 but is still chucking up 3-pointers and driving past guards nearly half his age. So is Jason Price, 31, who ended his Iowa career in 2000.

Henderson, Moore and Price are among the recognizable faces competing with and against the PTL's current crop of Iowa and Northern Iowa players. But they show on a nightly basis they're not playing only for the applause.

Monday, those players went head-to-head in a playoff matchup. On consecutive possessions, Moore and Henderson traded electrifying dunks. Moore had two breakaway dunks and launched two 3-pointers about 25 feet from the basket.

Moore finished with 27 points, Henderson 22 and Price 11.

“I love coming back to play in the PTL,” said Price, who plays professional basketball in Europe. “It's a chance for me to come out here and continue to play because I love it so much. It's good competition.”

PTL President Randy Larson said the former players are vital to the league's success.

“Some players, especially guys that are playing professionally still, provide not only quality talent but how to play and that maturity,” Larson said. “So I think they do add something to it. Now if someone wasn't good enough and they were in there just because they were a recognizable name, we wouldn't have any use for them.”

Larson shrugs off notions that someone like the 29-year-old Henderson provides too difficult a matchup for a player like incoming Iowa freshman Cully Payne.

“I don't think there's such a thing as playing up too much,” Larson said. “Cully Payne needs to be ready in November for guys that are grown men, so I think what these summer leagues do best is they help add to that adjustment factor.”

Moore, Henderson and Price live in the Iowa City area. Henderson and Price operate Bound For Glory, a basketball training and consulting academy in Iowa City. They train players individually and have added an AAU team.

“Basically, we're kind of like golf pros for basketball,” Henderson said.“At a camp there's anywhere from 100 to 300 or 400 kids. If a kid is struggling going to the basket with his right hand, we can devote a whole hour session to that, while at a camp he may only get one or two repetitions. That's not because the camps aren't good or they're not trying to get him better. That's because of sheer numbers.”

Larson said the veterans bring out the best in the college athletes. Moore, Henderson and Price have combined for 20 double-digit scoring games this summer.

“You want the best competition possible,” Larson said. “Coach (Todd) Lickliter doesn't want Anthony Tucker guarded by the best 19-year-old. He wants him being guarded by the best player, whoever he is. So that's what they bring.

“If they're not better than a current college player then there's no reason for them to be in there.”