Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Haynes Goes From Iowa to Iona

Ottumwa -- Michael Haynes has become the fifth member of this past season's Indian Hills basketball team to find an NCAA Division I home for next year.  Haynes has committed to Iona College in New York.

Haynes, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward from Chicago, played one season for Indian Hills, averaging 6.9 points and 4.5 rebounds a game.  His high game of 17 points came in the season-opener against Indiana-Dabney.  He was an honorable mention all-region pick.

Iona is coming off a 25-8 season in which it made it to the NCAA Tournament.  The Gaels lost to BYU in the first round of the tourney.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

IHCC's Buckley Headed Back to Michigan

Ottumwa -- Indian Hills sophomore DeAndray Buckley has signed a letter of intent with Central Michigan University.  Buckley, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound wing, played this past season for the Warriors after spending his freshman year at the University of New Hampshire.

Buckley, a native of Detroit, was one of the captains on this year's IHCC squad.  He averaged 5.6 points and 2.6 rebounds.  He missed six games in January and February with a knew injury and the injury forced him to sit out three postseason games as well.  But he returned to the lineup and played the final three games in the national tournament scoring 16 points in those contests, including nine against Southern Idaho.

Buckley was an honorable mention all-region choice in his lone season at IHCC.

Central Michigan earlier hired former Drake University head coach Keno Davis as its new coach.  And Davis is happy to add Buckley to the roster for his first team.  "DeAndray has been a leader both on and off the court at two storied programs -- Romulus High School and Indian Hills," said Davis.  "His combination of toughness, high basketball IQ and outstanding academic record make him a great fit for our program."

In high school, Buckley was part of a school-record 79 victories in four years and played in two state semifinals.  He averaged over 15 points and nine rebounds as a senior.