Donovan Gibbs wanted to play college basketball at a place where small forwards are a key part of the offense and he could pursue an engineering degree.

The 6-7 senior forward from Louisville found that combination in IUPUI.

“They’ve had great success with that position,” Gibbs said Sunday after committing to play for the Jaguars. "They told me the past couple years, that position has led the team in scoring and they basically run the offense around those type of players.

“They’re losing several players at that position to graduation, so they said there’s the possibility of playing real quick, maybe starting my freshman year.”

Gibbs had been getting interest from Butler, Oklahoma State, Xavier, Western Kentucky and several other schools.

Gibbs averaged 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds last year for Louisville Iroquois, winning Region No. 6 Player of the Year honors in Kentucky. Iroquois went 19-8 last year and won its district before falling to the eventual state runner-up.

In one ranking, Gibbs is listed as the fifth best senior in Kentucky.

“He’s a very versatile player,” Iroquois coach Michael Stinnett said. "In his high school career, he’s played everywhere from the (power forward) to the (point guard) for us.

“He’s an interchangeable 6-7 player. I think small forward is his true position. He’s a guy that can shoot it, pass it and dribble it.

“Over the past year or so, he’s really built his body into a college body.”

Gibbs now weighs 215 and he said he’s aiming to be 225 by the time he enrolls in college.

Gibbs said he’s leaning toward engineering, although he may major in business.

“The Purdue degree in engineering is one of the top in the country. It seemed like the school is perfect for me,” he said.

“I like math a lot, and I know engineering requires a lot of math,” he said. “I’ve always been into inventing things. I want to get into the innovative side of it.”

Stinnett, entering his fifth year at Iroquois, is familiar with some of IUPUI’s forwards of the past decade.

“I’m well aware of Odell Bradley, Don Carlisle and some of the other guys,” Stinnett said. "He liked the fact they’ve had such great success over the years with the small forward position.

“That’s what he’s going to be geared to do. He’s going to b e the guy who can shoot the 3, can post up, will be interchangeable like some of the guys they’ve had in the past.”