The following is a press release from Iowa State Athletics Communications:
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head coach T.J. Otzelberger announced Wednesday the signings of four preps for the 2025-26 season. The fourth signing day under Otzelberger, the class ranks as the best in school history. It is the second time in four recruiting cycles that Otzelberger has turned in a Top 10 class in the country.
The Cyclones signed Macari Moore (6-3 | Guard | Ann Arbor, Mich. | Huron), Xzavion Mitchell (6-6 | Forward | Oshkosh, Wis. | Oshkosh North), Jamarion Batemon (6-3 | Guard | Milwaukee, Wis. | Milwaukee Academy of Science) and Killyan Toure (6-3 | Guard | Pamiers, France | Brewster Academy).
The class is rated No. 8 nationally by 247sports and Rivals and No. 9 by ESPN. It is the top ranked class in the Big 12 by all three organizations.
Moore was the first to commit to the class, ranking as a Top 25 guard by 247sports and Rivals. He is ranked No. 134 overall by 247sports and is the second-ranked player from Michigan in the class. He helped Huron to a 23-5 record as a junior, which included a trip to the state semifinals. He played for The Family on the Nike EYBL Circuit this past summer. He led Huron to the district title with the go-ahead basket in overtime, a game in which he scored his 1,000th career point.
“Macari gets in the paint, making plays for himself and his teammates,” Otzelberger said. “He is a physical, downhill playmaking guard. He takes tremendous pride in being a physical, on-ball defender and he can rebound the basketball well from the guard position. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program with his character and work ethic.”
Mitchell is a consensus four-star recruit by 247sports, Rivals and ESPN. He is the 11th highest-ranked signee for Iowa State in the modern era. Mitchell is ranked No. 55 by Rivals, No. 70 by ESPN and No. 129 by 247sports. He is a Top 25 forward by 247sports and Rivals, while 247sports ranks him the No. 4 player in Wisconsin. He played for Team Herro on the Nike EYBL Circuit this past summer, while also participating in the NBPA Top 100 Camp. He was named the Nike EYBL Session II MVP, averaging 28.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game.
“Xzavion is a versatile, big wing who has the ability to attack off the dribble,” Otzelberger said. “He has mismatch ability and can really help facilitate offense. He’s somebody that has been a great rebounder and defensively he has tremendous versatility with an ability to guard all positions on the floor. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program with his toughness and consistency.”
Batemon is a consensus four-star recruit by 247sports, Rivals and ESPN. He is the sixth-highest-ranked signee for Iowa State in the modern era. Batemon is ranked No. 41 by 247sports, No. 63 by ESPN and No. 92 by Rivals. He is the top-ranked player in Wisconsin from 247sports, while also ranking as the No. 5 guard in the country. He played for Power 5 on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit, averaging 22.2 points per game. He was 7-of-11 from downtown in a 92-77 win over Compton Magic.
“Jamarion has great long-range ability but is also terrific at attacking the closeout and getting downhill as a playmaker,” Otzelberger added. “He’s an elite scoring guard, who has range as soon as he steps on the court. He takes tremendous pride in guarding the basketball and picking guys up full court. He’ll make an immediate impact on our program with his discipline and daily focus.”
The latest Cyclone from Brewster Academy, Toure is originally from Pamiers, France. With his recent arrival to the United States, Toure is not in any national rankings, but is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals. He played in the French ProA U21 League, averaging 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists for ASVEL Basket Lyon-Villeurbanne. He also participated in the 2023 NBA Basketball Without Borders Europe, where he earned Defensive MVP honors.
“Killyan is a dynamic, open court playmaking guard,” Otzelberger said. “He’s somebody who operates best in transition, seeing the play a step ahead. He takes tremendous pride in guarding the basketball and being disruptive. He’s proven to defend at a high level and has the maturity of playing high-level basketball overseas. His work habits and maturity will help him make an immediate impact on our program.”
