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How ya gonna keep ‘em down in Detroit, now they’ve seen Ames, Iowa?

Percy Gibson, Kevin Noreen

Iowa State center Percy Gibson (24) shoots over West Virginia forward Kevin Noreen during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

AP

Will Clyburn, Detroit

Percy Gibson, Detroit

Dominique Butler, Detroit

How do they get all these city guys to come to Iowa State? Hard to say. But the pipeline from Michigan to Ames, Iowa - which includes Michigan State transfers who didn’t grow up in the state - has been in full effect for some time. The Cyclones are currently anticipating the debut of redshirt freshman Sherron Dorsey-Walker, another Michigander from the Motor City, who’s currently tearing up the local YMCA hoops league in Des Moines.

Dorsey-Walker just bested Clyburn’s record for points against a Toreador defense, putting up 67 points to go ahead of his ISU predecessor’s 64, dropped in 2012.

Apparently, if you grow up in Detroit, Ames looks pretty good.

“The Iowa State-Michigan pipeline was open a long time ago,” said Cyclones assistant Cornell Mann, whose recruiting area includes Michigan. “When you’re from Detroit, you’ve already been in the inner city; you’ve already had a taste of that, so let’s get a taste of this fresh air, good living and good people.”

It’s worth noting that the irascible Johnny Orr, who initiated the Hilton Magic in the 80s and 90s, came to Iowa State via the University of Michigan as well.

Gibson and Dorsey-Walker will team up with Flint native Monte Morris on the Iowa State roster this season, where they’ll attempt to get the Cyclones back to the NCAA tournament for a third straight time under Fred Hoiberg.

Sounds like John Beilein and Tom Izzo better watch their backs.

Eric Angevine is the editor of Storming the Floor. He tweets @stfhoops.