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Top Iowa High School Basketball Prospect Staying Home

Top Iowa High School Basketball Prospect Staying Home

Dana Becker

Cedar Falls' William Gerdes during the Class 4A boys state quarterfinal against Dubuque Senior on Monday, March 10, 2025, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
Cedar Falls' William Gerdes during the Class 4A boys state quarterfinal against Dubuque Senior on Monday, March 10, 2025, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For William Gerdes, the opportunity to remain close to home and play major college basketball was too good to pass up.

Gerdes, who will be a senior at Cedar Falls High School this coming season, committed to the University of Northern Iowa on Monday night.

“Staying home!” Gerdes posted on social media.

A 6-foot-8, 195-pound power forward, Gerdes held offers from Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Youngstown State and Bryant. The Panthers and head coach Ben Jacobson previously offered Gerdes on June 2024.

William Gerdes is a Key Recruit for Northern Iowa, Ben Jacobson

Last winter, Gerdes helped lead Cedar Falls to a 22-3 record and a spot in the Class 4A state semifinals where they came up short vs. Waukee Northwest. Both the Tigers and Wolves are expected to be top contenders for the championship this coming season.

On the court, Gerdes averaged 16.5 points per game with five rebounds, shooting 66 percent from the field, 73 percent at the free throw line and almost 45 percent from the 3-point stripe.

Joining Gerdes for Cedar Falls will be classmates Leyton Wolf and Jaydon Kimbrough. 

Gerdes played for Murray Elite over the summer on the national basketball circuit.

The Panthers have reached the NCAA Division I Tournament eight times, with the last appearance coming in 2016. They reached the Sweet 16 in 2010.

Jacobson, who has been the head coach at UNI since 2006, owns a career record of 374-246. He previously was an assistant for the Panthers, along with serving in that role at both North Dakota and North Dakota State. 

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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