Ryan Pippett

2016 NIACC hall of famers Brad and Ryan Pippett

In typical brother fashion, Brad and Ryan Pippett often discuss who had the better basketball career.

While the debate between the two will continue for years to come, the Pippett brothers can now add the NIACC athletic hall of fame to their topics of conversation.

“I was excited,” Brad said when he heard from NIACC athletic director Dan Mason that he would be a member of the 2016 NIACC athletic hall of fame class, “especially going in with my brother. We’ve always joked around about whose team was better. It’s unique to go in together.”

Ryan agreed.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Ryan said, “and it’s cool to be going in with my brother. That’s pretty neat.

“I looked online at who was already in the hall of fame. The first class was in 2006 so only a handful of people are even in the hall of fame. That’s pretty cool.”

Younger brother Ryan scored 1,150 points and grabbed 605 rebounds in his two-year career at NIACC from 1994-96. The Trojans claimed the national title during his freshman season in 1995.

The 1,150 points rank third on NIACC’s career scoring list and his 605 rebounds rank second in the career rebounding list.

After NIACC, Ryan played at the University of Missouri-Rolla after his two years at NIACC.

Older brother Brad ranks 13th on the school’s career list with 963 career points. Brad also ranks eighth on the school’s career rebounding list with 504.

Brad’s sophomore season (1989-90) was a stellar one for him. He scored 662 points (sixth on school’s single-season list and grabbed 355 rebounds (third on school’s career list).

It was early in Brad’s sophomore season that he caught the eye of Johnny Orr and the Iowa State coaching staff. Brad played two years with the Cyclones from 1990-92 and played in the NCAA tournament in the 1991-92 season.

Brad’s first year at NIACC wasn’t spectacular as he was more of a role player, but he broke out in his second season under veteran coach Herb Konigsmark.

“Just maturity,” Brad said about his spectacular sophomore season. “We had a pretty good team my freshman year. Brad Brumm was the man my first year and I took a back seat to him and learned.

“I couldn’t have done what I did my sophomore year without Herb allowing me a bunch of freedom. Herb changed the offense making me the first option on the wing.”

When the NCAA Division I schools began to take notice, Iowa State was at the top of Brad’s list. Kansas State, Drake and Montana also showed interest.

While the Cyclones were the clear front runner, Brad still wanted to take a few college visits.

Konigsmark, however, stepped in and asked Brad a question.

“He said ‘honestly, Brad, do you see yourself going to Kansas State or Drake?’ I told him I’ve always wanted to go to Iowa State. He said just do it then and don’t mess around with it. He told me not to waste the other school’s time and just be honest. That was great advice.”

While he was a prolific scorer at NIACC, Brad turned into a good defender playing for the Cyclones in the extremely tough Big Eight Conference.

“Pip was such a great defensive player and hustled all the time,” former Iowa State assistant coach Jim Hallihan said. “He was really a tough competitor who always gave 100 percent. We knew if we put him on a good offensive player in the Big Eight, he would slow him down.”

So five seasons after Brad finished his career at NIACC, younger brother Ryan took the same route as Brad and signed on with the Trojans.

“I wanted to play Division I basketball and I wasn’t really being recruited,” Ryan recalled. “It was a no-brainer to come to NIACC. I wanted to follow in my brother’s footsteps.”

And in Ryan’s freshman season, the Trojans claimed the 1995 NJCAA Division II national championship – just the second team national title in school history.

“My freshman year was really memorable,” Ryan said. “I remember our teamwork. Everyone knew their role.

“We lost three starters at the semester. We adjusted and figured things out. We struggled for a bit but we came together and had a real good team concept.

NIACC’s run to the national title included three memorable wins at the regional tournament, which was held on the NIACC campus.

The Trojans topped Kirkwood (74-73), rival Waldorf College (87-74) and Iowa Lakes (83-75).

“Those regional tournament games were real exciting,” Ryan said.

Three more wins at the national tournament and the Trojans were cutting down the nets in Danville, Ill.

Ryan scored 21 points in the national-tournament opener against Alfred State College (New York). He scored 16 points in the semifinals against Allegheny County CC (Pennsylvania) and was also in double figures with 14 in the national title game against Grand Rapids CC (Michigan).

“I really enjoyed coaching Ryan,” said NIACC athletic director Dan Mason, who was the Trojans’ men’s basketball coach during Ryan’s two seasons. “He played extremely hard and his versatility became a key part of our offense. He could out run most big men and he attacked the rim with a vengeance.

“The minute the other team put a bigger player on him he would go outside and knock down a three.”

Ryan also remembered that the men’s basketball coaching staff played a big part in the Trojans’ success.

“They all complimented each other,” Ryan said. “Coach Mason was a real good motivator and could get a lot out of you. Randall (Herbst) was more of a stern guy and that was his personality. Everyone on the team knew their role and there wasn’t any confusion on what everyone was supposed to be doing.”

- Story was written as part of the 2016 NIACC hall of fame program.