What do you get when you replace the coach, lose two of your best players, and have Alex Thompson transfer to your team? ISU Men’s Basketball, that’s what. Alex Thompson is a former Ames High student who went to Iowa on a basketball scholarship. After two years of minimal playing time, the former top-100 high school prospect decided to transfer to Iowa State. According to coach Steve Alford, Thompson left Iowa because of the amount of playing time he was getting. The 6’ 9” 215 pound forward/guard biggest moment as a Hawkeye came in the closing moments of the Big Ten Tournament Championship game when he hit a clutch three-pointer to guarantee a victory against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ames High’s own Ross “Cream Soda” Ellrich is also a basketball standout that transferred to Ames from Gilbert. A little known fact about Alex Thompson isthat he also transferred from Gilbert to play basketball here in Ames. In this strange way Ellrich is connected to Alex Thompson. “Alex is what some would call The Man.” Freshman Ross Ellrich said. “He is also really good at basketball.” Alex Thompson is hoping to make an impact on the team after the year of sitting out that is required by the NCAA eligibility rules. “He is going to have a tremendous impact on the Cyclones.” Ellrich said. “I also think he is going to be one of the top forwards in the Big 12. With the Big 12 being one of the best conferences, which means he is also going to be one of the top forwards in the nation. For him to leave Iowa and to come to Ames is a really good decision in my opinion.” The ISU Cyclones need a lot of help after their two best guards (Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock) left for the NBA draft. “I think with them leaving it is going to be tough at first.” Ellrich said. “I also think that some of the unknown players are going to step up their game and be really good.” Along with them leaving, ISU also ridded themselves of Coach Wayne Morgan and hired Greg McDermott. “All in all it was a good decision I think.” Ellrich said. “My boy Greg will get the job done. If he doesn’t we will just have to fire him and hire someone else.”It seems with all these players and the head coach leaving it’s going to be rough, but the plus factor is that Iowa State has another homeboy coming back to Ames in Alex “A-Train” Thompson. “The next couple of years of Iowa State Basketball are going to be fun.” Ellrich said. “I am quite ecstatic.”