Cyclone duo leaving options open

AMES - Iowa State's top two scorers and rebounders each said Monday they are open to delaying professional careers in favor of returning to school next season.

Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap are drawing interest from NBA scouts and could enter their names in the draft, which Brackins nearly did last April before deciding to come back. Most believed the junior would play out this season and go pro.

Not so fast my friend.

“As soon as the season is over I'm going to chill out like I always do and take a break from basketball,” Brackins said. “I don't know. Sometimes I never know what I think. I came back last year and that was a 50-50 for me. It could still be a 50-50 (this year).”

Gilstrap first needs the help of the NCAA to have the option of returning.

The 6-7 senior forward is trying for a sixth year of eligibility due to injuries early in his career which caused him to miss two full seasons while recovering from a patellar tendon injury.

Gilstrap has a young daughter who has lived in Ames with him and the girl's mother since the fall. The lure of a professional contract and a steady paycheck could be enticing, but Gilstrap said he “more than likely” would be back with the Cyclones if the appeal is successful.

Men's basketball spokesman Mike Green said nothing has yet been submitted to the NCAA as ISU officials gather paperwork.

“If I get my year back, yes (he'll return),” said Gilstrap, who is averaging 14.7 points and 9.2 rebounds a game and is a leading candidate for Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. “I don't know if I'm going to get it. I haven't heard anything about it. I haven't really thought about (the future) because I don't know what's going to happen.”

Brackins was a sure first-round pick last summer if he came out.

His numbers are at 17.0 points and 8.1 rebounds a game - down from last season. Coach Greg McDermott told The Gazette last week he thinks Brackins will almost surely declare for the draft.

“He sacrificed a lot to come back,” McDermott said.

The 6-10, 230-pounder said he came into the year unsure if it would be his last at ISU.

“I didn't really want to think about it like, ‘I'm going to do this and then I'm out,'” Brackins said. “You never know. I didn't know what was going to happen. I still don't.”

The Cyclones enter Wednesday night's game at Missouri at 13-10 overall and 2-6 in conference play.

One of Brackins' reasons for returning to school was that he wanted to play in the NCAA tournament. Unless things turn around quickly, he won't get to do that this season.

“You never know. We still can,” he said. “We played against all the top teams so far. We were right there with a lot of them. You never know what could happen.”