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Iowa backup guard to transfer
Iowa Class 2A player of the year to seek more playing time
Branden Stubbs
EUGENE, Ore. — Iowa sophomore point guard Branden Stubbs will leave the basketball program after the spring semester to seek more playing time, Coach Fran McCaffery said.
Stubbs, a 6-foot-2 walk-on from Pleasant Hill, played in 12 games this year and averaged 1.2 points. He had six assists and six turnovers.
“It’s very positive. He’s thankful for the opportunity,” McCaffery said. “We love him, we’re helping him. He just wants to play more. I respect that. I respect how he did it.”
Stubbs, 20, statistically ranks among the elite high school players in Iowa history. At Des Moines Christian, he dished 712 assists, third-most in state history. He ranks 20th all-time in scoring with 2,145 points, just three points shy of Raef LaFrentz.
Lone Tree's Derek Havel and Des Moines Christian's Branden Stubbs both chase a loose ball at midcourt during a first round Class 1A game at the Iowa boys state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 12, 2007. (Cliffe Jette/The Gazette)
In 2010, Stubbs was the Class 2A player of the year after leading Des Moines Christian to a 26-1 record. Stubbs led Class 2A in scoring and assists that year.
“Stubby’s basketball IQ is off the charts,” McCaffery said, “and he can make shots. And he’s a tough kid. He’s going to be a really good player for somebody. I am going to recommend him highly. I hope he finds the right place.”
McCaffery said Stubbs is considering both Division I and Division II offers.
“He could play at a lot of places, and he knew that,” McCaffery said. “He was intrigued by the opportunity to come in here and see what this was and he grew. He’s lifted. His body is so much different than it was when he first got here. This experience will really help him I think.”
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I am confused, we have an elite player on the team, he is a sophomore, with great high school numbers and we are not playing him?? seeing that we dont have a good enough team to get to the NCAA playoff…..like i said, I am confused…….how good are the other guys? I feel like i am chasing my tail
Doug, is that a serious post?
Believe it or not but there is a slight difference between 2A Iowa high school ball and the Big Ten.
Good luck to Brandon, hope he does well at the D II school he ends up choosing
Doug:
Please use the sarcasm font next time – you really had me goin’ there for a minute! I know you’re kidding because no sane, intelligent basketball fan would be mystified as to how an “elite” high school basketball player isn’t getting hardly any playing time at a major Division I school…….
Stubbs was a WALK-ON..he wasn’t on scholarship–elite players get scholarships, Doug.
Stubbs was undersized and lacked the speed necessary to play B1G level basketball.. (Stubbs is 6’2 and 170 lbs dripping wet, compared to Matt Gatens who is 6’5″ and 215).
He’ll end up at a DII school if he wants to play immediately..otherwise if he goes to a D1 school..he’ll lose a year of eligibility meaning he’d only have one year left.
Honestly, I don’t understand Stubbs beef here however, since Gatens and Bryce Cartwright are both graduated…Stubbs chances for playing time would have gone up next year.
Players transferring wanting “more playing time” always has struck me as a selfish action. If you want more playing time..EARN it..
Todd, I suspect that he has looked at the incoming recruit list and saw it was heavy with guards, including a top 100 player. None of them are walk-ons. I think he peered into his future and saw a great deal of garbage time. He will likely wind up at Drexel, Iona, Lamar or some other such place, and will do quite well
This guy was a tough little walk on who helped Iowa turn the corner. Thanks for all the hard work and best of luck in the future. Can’t blame a guy for testing himself against the best in the country. It’s not selfish to give it everything you have come up a little short and readjust your goals in life. He took his shot and swung away. How many of us do that in our lives?