Future Hawkeyes support each other on and off the court
The future of Iowa basketball was on display on Saturday in eastern Iowa and western Illinois.
Normally, Pryce Sandfort plays all of his games in central Iowa. The star wing from Waukee NW High School and future Hawkeye spent his Saturday afternoon in Iowa City facing off against the Iowa City High Little Hawkeyes in their outstanding new basketball gym.
Then four hours later, future Hawkeyes and current Moline teammates Brock Harding and Owen Freeman faced off against a very talented team from East St. Louis at legendary Wharton Fieldhouse in Moline.
While the games on the court were the story, it’s the friendship between the future teammates that drove the day. Following a hard fought win over City High, Sandfort and his parents made the one hour drive east to Moline to show support to Harding and Freeman.
“I talk to them about their games and things like that, so I wanted to come support them,” Sandfort said.
Before he headed east, Sandfort had work to do and a show to put on in front of his future head coach. He did just that in the first half against City High, scoring 29 points with Fran McCaffery, his brother Payton, Connor McCaffery, Filip Rebraca, and Carter Kingsbury looking on.
Sandfort said he never noticed Fran McCaffery in the crowd, but his teammates had let him know he was in the stands.
“I never really even saw him in the crowd,” he said. “Knowing he was here I guess I tried to put on a little bit of a show. It means a lot to me for them to come out like that.”
He did put on a show, scoring 40 points, which is two points shy of his career high. Sandfort said his legs probably got a little tired in the second half after playing the previous night.
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Then it was off to Moline to watch his future teammates on the court together for the first time. Sandfort and his family sat in the upper deck of Wharton Fieldhouse with the parents of Freeman and Harding. The families have already developed a strong bond, as have the three future Hawkeyes.
“I think we all do a great job of reaching out to each other and talking to each other about our games,” Harding said following Moline’s convincing win over East St. Louis on Saturday night.
The future Hawkeye point guard was thrilled that Sandfort made the trip over.
“He told us he was playing in Iowa City at 2:30 today and was going to come over to watch us. If we weren’t playing tonight I would have been over there to see him play today.”
Harding led the Maroons with 24 points and plenty of assists and Freeman scored 23 points and had at least a dozen rebounds against a pretty athletic front line from East St. Louis.
Freeman was equally happy that Sandfort made the trek to see them play on Saturday evening.
“It was awesome,” he said. “I’m really glad he was there and that he got to see us win tonight. Our group is really tight and I love our group chat that we have after big wins for the Hawkeyes.”
On Sunday, Iowa fans can look for the three future Hawkeyes taking their seats at Carver-Hawkeye Arena cheering on the Iowa team against Maryland. This time next year, the trio will be done sitting in the stands and out on the court making plays and winning games for the Hawkeyes.
