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AMES − In an era of college athletics with more player empowerment, it’s common to see athletes enter the transfer portal in search of more NIL money, playing time or a bigger role.
Meanwhile, Iowa State men’s basketball players Nate Heise and Brandton Chatfield are pleased to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Heise and Chatfield were both multi-year starters at their previous schools. They logged 87 career starts apiece. Heise was an all-conference pick and Northern Iowa’s leading scorer last season. Chatfield had been a fixture in Seattle’s frontcourt and was one of two players to start all 37 games for the RedHawks last season.
They haven’t cracked the starting five with the Cyclones, but they’ve carved a niche for themselves as sparkplugs off the bench.
“It takes a lot of maturity to go from being ‘the guy’ on your team to being a sixth man or a bench player,” center Dishon Jackson said of his teammates. “That takes a lot of maturity and for them to step up and thrive in their roles, it’s huge for our team. … I really enjoy those guys. I appreciate them for their roles, too, and I’m sure the team does as well.”
Iowa State’s Nate Heise (0), Brandton Chatfield (33) and Kansas City’s Cameron Faas (30) battle for a rebound on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.
Heise and Chatfield fill out the Cyclones’ rotation and will be counted on when Big 12 play starts Dec. 30 at Colorado.
“With everybody, we try in the recruiting process to paint the most clear picture that we can,” coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “Certainly, there’s things that change. … With Brandt, we told him what we saw coming in. I believe he’ll continue to earn more opportunities as the season moves forward. He’s a guy that can be self-critical, and we’re trying to get him to play with more free peace of mind and just trust himself, because that’s where he’s really good.
“I think what we’ve seen from Nate Heise is he’s been a huge impact player for us. … The toughness, effort,…
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Author : The Des Moines Register
Publish date : 2024-12-23 12:03:00
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