When Clayton Custer attended a game at Hilton Coliseum on an unofficial visit last November against Campbell, he was surprised by what he saw.

“The crowd was still rocking. There were people in there. I mean, it was loud. I was amazed,” Custer said Wednesday, Nov. 13. “Obviously, I’m from Kansas; people talk about Allen Fieldhouse. I would put Hilton up with anybody in the country.”

He verbally committed to play for Iowa State the next day. On Wednesday, the 6-foot-1 guard from Overland Park, Kan., signed his National Letter of Intent to play for the Cyclones beginning with the 2014-15 season.

Custer, who is ranked No. 90 in the 2014 recruiting class by Rivals.com, received offers from other Big 12 schools — Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State — before deciding to play at Iowa State. While playing for Blue Valley Northwest High School in Kansas, Custer has been a first-team all-state selection in Class 6A each of the last two seasons as his team won back-to-back state championships.

ISU coach Fred Hoiberg remembers when Custer first stood out.

“We went down to see him at his high school and he didn’t blow you away with his athleticism. But then they went out and they scrimmaged, and his team won every game,” Hoiberg said. “That’s the type of kid he is; he’s going to make winning basketball plays. He’s going to defend; he’s going to knock down shots; he’s going to make the right play.”

Custer is so far the only recruit from the 2014 class signed on to play in Ames next fall. He will join current freshmen Matt Thomas and Monte Morris and other young players as Iowa State graduates only three players from this season’s roster.

That is one big reason behind Custer’s decision.

“I think it just shows that the future is bright for the program,” Custer said. “Next year we’re going to have a lot of young guards, talented guards who can all play and all play together. If we play together and play the right way I think we’ll be in the biggest games and we know we can beat the best teams in the country.”

Last season, Custer averaged 22.2 points and 5.3 assists per game as his team went undefeated. Hoiberg on Wednesday called him a pure point guard and said he can play alongside Morris, who is at point guard behind senior DeAndre Kane this season.

“Both of those guys are great decision makers, they can both knock down shots,” Hoiberg said. “With the way we play — the way we push the ball up the court and as many ball screens as we run — I think those guys will fit very well with each other.”

Aside from winning another state title this season, Custer said Iowa State has given him the suggestion to add more weight before he arrives in Ames.

“The one thing that they’ve kind of told me is they think skillwise, I’ll be OK,” Custer said. “I just need to get my body right, I need to get into the weight room and put a little meat on so that I don’t get knocked off the ball and also stay quick at the same time.”

Custer has drawn comparisons to NBA guard Kirk Hinrich, who played basketball at Kansas. He said that comparison comes primarily because of his location.

The high school senior has grown up emulating two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash for his passing. On Wednesday, Hoiberg said he is a true pass-first point guard who can also score.

“He can knock down the 3 as well,” Hoiberg said. “He does have a great mid-range game and he’s got a great pull-up [shot]. He really elevates well on his shot. Again, he’s always going to make the right decision. He’s a guy that will come in and he won’t make mistakes.”

Custer will be in attendance Sunday as Iowa State takes on No. 7 Michigan on ESPN2.

Rashad Vaughn, the No. 7 recruit in the 2014 class according to Rivals.com, will be making an official visit as he considers Iowa State for the 2014-15 season, too.

Vaughn isn’t expected to choose his destination until next spring.

“I just wanted to be up there so I can meet the guys that are coming to town to see the game and just tell them why I think Iowa State’s the best choice,” Custer said. “I think anybody who watches Iowa State play, especially at Hilton, I think that should be a serious option for them.”