As expected, ISU signs JC Phillips

DeMarcus Phillips, a junior college guard who was named Wisconsin's 2008 Player of the Year, signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Iowa State beginning in the 2010-11 season, ISU head coach Greg McDermott announced today.

Phillips, a native of Milwaukee, Wis., is in his second season at Marshalltown Community College. The 6-2, 195-pounder averaged 17.3 points and 5.1 assists as a freshman last season at MCC. He was invited to the 2009 elite top 120 Juco camp at Oral Roberts University and was listed as a fourth-team preseason junior college All-American by Sporting News. JucoJunction ranked him as the 27th-best junior college player in the class of 2010.

"DeMarcus is a combo guard that can score the basketball as well as make plays for his teammates," McDermott said. "He is a tremendous passer and has the uncanny ability to deliver timely passes. He also possesses great defensive instincts and the quickness to be an outstanding perimeter defender. We started recruiting DeMarcus when he was in high school."

Phillips arrived at MCC after a stellar prep career at Milwaukee Washington where he was named Mr. Basketball of Wisconsin in 2008 by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and was the unanimous Milwaukee Player of the Year choice by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Phillips averaged 21.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while leading his prep team to a 21-1 mark in his senior campaign. He will be a junior next year for the Cyclones.