By MARK NELKE

Sports editor

Blake Buchanan, the former Lake City High basketball star who played the past two seasons at the University of Virginia, is transferring to Iowa State, he announced recently on his Instagram page. 

Buchanan told The Press on Tuesday he first met Iowa State coach TJ Otzelberger a few years ago, when he was invited to a USA Basketball minicamp.

"For starters it’s the program that coach TJ has built; I know I’m going to a program that’s going to have a chance to compete for something big," Buchanan said. "The next thing was just their plan for me, they want to use me how I want to play, and their player development is at a high level. But in the end it came down to the little things that coach TJ and their staff have shown me and told me. It’s going to be a perfect fit for me and I’m excited to be a Cyclone."

Iowa State finished 25-10 this past season, and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Buchanan, a 6-foot-11, 227-pound sophomore, started 22 of 32 games this past season for the Cavaliers of the Atlantic Coast Conference, who finished 15-17 after a second-round loss in the ACC tournament.   

Buchanan averaged 5.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots this past season.  

As a freshman in 2023-24, he played in 34 games with six starts, and averaged 3.4 points and 3.1 rebounds. Virginia finished 23-11, ending with a first-round loss to Colorado State in the First Four of the NCAA tournament.  

Buchanan signed with Virginia when Tony Bennett was the head coach, and played for him as a freshman. But Bennett suddenly resigned just prior to the start of this past season. Assistant Ron Sanchez was named interim coach, but was told after the season he would not be considered to be the next head coach.   

Buchanan told The Press recently he opted into the portal because of the change in the coaching staff. 

Ryan Odom was recently named Virginia head coach. 

Buchanan said he was also considering Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson, Notre Dame and Texas A&M. 

"Virginia showed me interest but I wasn’t too interested in coming back," Buchanan said. "I had my mind set on leaving here and trying to experience something new, and I thought a change would be good for me."

Guard Mason Williams, who played his first two seasons at Eastern Washington, committed to Iowa State last week.