Two summer leagues popular with college basketball fans are set to begin. The YMCA Capital City League is played in West Des Moines and features players from Iowa State and Drake.
League commissioner Derek Hannah says they are a looking forward to a great summer and especially how the new Drake coaching staff will approach the league. Opening night is on Sunday and the games are played at Valley Southwoods.
“For a freshman high school it’s a great facility that can hold about 1,200 people. Sometimes we have standing-room only when some of the bigger guys come out to play,” Hanah says.
Hannah the games are held on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays through July 14th. Hannah says the league will finish with a post season tournament that is two nights.
The Prime Time League near Iowa City is entering its 27th season and has always been popular with Iowa Hawkeye fans. Iowa City attorney Randy Larson has served as commissioner since the league started and says it allow fans to see if the incoming players are as good as advertised.
Larson says fans get to find out for themselves if the players can play, such as incoming Iowa freshman, Peter Jok. Larson says the Prime Time League has six teams this summer. That’s two more than a year ago.
“The number of teams is dictated by the number of returning Iowa players. The NCAA rule is that you can only have two returning players per summer league team,” Larson explains. Last year they only had 8 returning Iowa players, but this year they have 12 returners and can add 2 more teams.
Games are played at the North Liberty Community Center and begin June 20th on Thursdays and Sundays. The schedule is on the league website.
Larson says Devyn Marble and Aaron White may not play many games in the league this summer. Both have been invited to a tryout for the USA basketball World University Games team and will be at the first game, but if they make the team they won’t play any of the rest of the games. “And gosh we hope they miss all the rest,” Larson says, as he says it would be an honor for them to make the team.
Larson says they also offer the Game Time League for womens basketball players.