In my last column, I caught ISU students up on everything going on in the world of ISU football recruiting. This week, I’m focusing on what coach Greg McDermott and the new men’s basketball coaching staff have been up to during the summer months, recruiting-wise.

The most important name to know and remember is Craig Brackins. Brackins is a four-star, 6-foot-8-inch, 200-pound power forward who played for the Boys to Men Academy in Chicago last season. Brackins was the first recruit McDermott signed to the 2007 class, and more importantly, he’s widely known as one of the top 20 prospects in the entire nation. This season, Brackins will be attending another prep school, Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H.

Brackins is a shining example of the recruiting pipeline developed between Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith and the ISU men’s basketball program. The positive relationship started last year when ISU freshman Dodie Dunson committed to Iowa State last year. Now, with Brackins on board, Iowa State is closing in on two other Brewster attendees: 6-foot-4-inch swingman Andre McFarland and an Allen Iverson-like 6-foot-3-inch combo guard named P’Allen Stinnett.

As you might remember, Stinnett committed to Iowa State last year under former head coach Wayne Morgan. After Morgan was fired, Stinnett withdrew and decided to play prep ball for a year, but it looks like this kid, originally from Las Vegas, can’t get enough of Iowa. Luckily for Iowa State, Brackins, McFarland and Stinnett are all best friends who play on the same AAU team in California. They also play prep ball together, so that leads me to believe Iowa State will pick up commitments from Stinnett and McFarland as well.

When will this happen? I’m banking on Sept. 30. McFarland will be on an official visit then, and Stinnett will be in town on an unofficial visit. The only other school in contention for these two prospects is the lowly Idaho Vandals. Yes, that’s right . Idaho. Where would you rather go? One thing for sure is that McFarland and Stinnett are a package deal. Iowa State will either land both or neither of them.

Joining Stinnett and McFarland on the 30th will be Kenton Walker, a 6-foot-7-inch, 215-pound forward from Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego. Walker has narrowed his list of schools down to three, including San Diego State, Creighton and Iowa State. Walker will visit San Diego State this weekend, Creighton the next and then Iowa State on Sept. 30.

Iowa State has picked up two other commitments in the recent weeks, one in the class of 2007 and one in 2008.

Diante Garrett joined Brackins in the class of 2007 around a month ago, and according to numerous sources familiar with Garrett’s game, this one was an absolute steal for Iowa State. Garrett is a three-star, 6-foot-5-inch point guard out from Vincent High School, in Milwaukee, Wis. The big advantage for Garrett is his genes. Garrett’s dad, Dick, played in the NBA for five seasons and teamed up with the likes of Walt Frazier and Jerry West. Sources have told me that if Garrett would have been on a better AAU team, he’d be one of the top point guard recruits in the country.

Wes Eikmeier is a 6-foot-3-inch shooter who committed to Iowa State for the class of 2008 only a week ago. Eikmeier, from Fremont, Neb., is regarded as a project because he only weighs 165 pounds at this time, but he still has two years before coming to Iowa State.

McDermott has never coached a game at Iowa State, but with the possibilities of this 2007 class, his program should be on track for success. As always, I’ll keep you updated throughout the year.

Chris Williams is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Clarinda. He is the publisher of CycloneNation.com. You can hear Williams on 1430 KASI from 10 a.m. to noon every Sunday and watch him every week on Mediacom’s “Cy-Hawk Talk: State of the Nations” and Thursdays on the WHO Channel 13 sportscasts.