Tyson Commander’s Star Continues to Rise as ACC Schools Show Interest

Tyson Commander Team Melo 2022 and VaTech Head Coach Mike Young

Team Melo, the Baltimore based NIKE EYBL program has consistently produced several high major prospects year in and year out. Their newest star is 2022 Shooting guard Tyson Commander, who attends John Carroll High School in Bel Air, Md.; and has spent a good portion of the last year picking up offers from elite basketball programs across the nation.

Commander who is also a finalist for the Sport Majors Player of the Year as a sophomore and one of the top scorers in the very competitive MIAA conference spent this past weekend on campus at perennial ACC power Virginia Tech on a unofficial visit. Commander spent time with both Associate Head Coach Chester Frazier and Head Coach Mike Young.

Tyson who holds multiple Division I offers already is a scoring guard who is a threat at all three levels. At 6’3 we like his positional size, length, and a build that surely will blossom in a college weight room. He has a very advanced scoring package for his age that has been honed on the EYBL stage along with a firm understanding of how to create his own shot - he moves without the ball well, has good use of both hands, along with good footwork.

He's an especially efficient scorer around the lane who is finishing at the rim along with a full assortment of pivots and spins at his disposal, shoots at very high percentage on two-point field goals, and goes right into contact to get himself to the free-throw line in high volume.

Commander is a sneaky athlete who rebounds well for his size, particularly on the offensive end, where he'll fly at the glass from the perimeter. He moves well enough laterally to be a solid defender and may even have some potential versatility to guard bigger guys as he builds up his body.

Commander is one of the elite scoring guards in the area and is expanding his national profile each time he steps onto the floor. By his senior year expect Commander to one of the most recruited and sought after guards in America.

Reclassification Maximization & Its Impact on College Scholarships

First and foremost a lot of things can change during the span of middle and high school; a plethora of changes can also occur in prospects recruitment – no longer is it forgone conclusion as to when a player will finish high school and start college. Gone are the days where prep schools where the only option; though still used, they are part of a much larger machine knowledgeable and canny families are using to secure the athletic and academic futures of their children and to allow them to achieve a free education.

Maximizing the opportunities for a player nowadays can include a series of moves that can allow up to 3 and in some cases 4 extra years to earn a chance to attend college for free. Along with that possibility loopholes have recently been identified in the process of adding players talented enough to the NBA draft without attending college. This is a trend that will only continue to grow with the emergence of Thon Maker and the growing Canadian basketball market which can turn make an American player eligible under the NBAs international eligibility rules. Those situations will be explored in a later article. Finally in all of these options that option still remains at any time for a player to reclass UP a pheromone that we are starting to note at the middle school level more and more over recent years. Those that follow the middle school game closely may know some of the names and the strategies employed by those players and parents. 

Karl Towns Jr.

The three year maximization; using an example of the latest birthdate possible for (ex: September 2nd DOB) a player in the 7th grade could be up to 364 days older than the youngest player/kid in the class. Without reclassification this would by default make said student one of the oldest kids in his “natural class” (approximately 13 years old). That player has the ability to then reclass at the middle school level, which is common places now and remain in the 7th grade again, moving the needle in this example 729 days ahead of the youngest child in the graduating class - a 14-year old 7th grader and then a 15-year old 8th grader.

A high school coach walks in the gym to recruit players for his graduating class of BLANK; and he sees and understands that regardless of the age of the potential player; as he has no access to birth certificates - that a player who in this example is two years older than his opponent, is dominating the game, physically more mature, “varsity ready” size wise, more emotionally mature, maybe better leadership qualities than his 12-year old or 13-year old counterpart. More time than not we have seen at this juncture in the recruitment process scholarship opportunity is going to the reclassed player.

Moving onto high school special attention MUST Be paid; The most important academic consideration when reclassifying is the NCAA’s core-curriculum time limitation, from Bylaw

14.3.1.2.1: A prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of the prospective student-athlete’s class [as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade) or the international equivalent…]. Graduation from high school or secondary school shall be based on the prospective student-athlete’s prescribed educational path in his or her country.

Cassius Stanley

This generally means that a prospect must have finished the NCAA’s 16 require core courses by the time he or she finishes high school. This is a strict time-frame that must be adhered to; recently Villanova’s the defending national champions top freshman recruit was deem ineligible – not because he didn’t complete his course work, but the time frame in which it was finished as it pertained to his high school concluding formal classes.

Be aware that there are also rules for student graduating high early that choose not to change that class.

The second opportunity that many basketball players are also taking; is the “old school” additional year at a prep school; creating a 3-year advantage for the player in our example verses the youngest potential player in the class – 20-years old compared to 17-years old. College’s at this juncture must also consider the same physical and emotional measurable as when they being evaluated by a high school coach – but at this juncture experience, gym time, and reps by virtue of sheer numbers comes into play. The prep player in this example has had 1094 days or roughly three years of practice, training, and game play that the youngest in this same scenario has had.

This is the battle and the determination that players and parents must make and what they ultimately have to compete against for a chance for paid education; its each individuals families determination if this playing field is truly level or if THEIR respective child has THEY had the same time and opportunity would THEIR child or player be able to obtain a free education?

The 3rd opportunity arises actually while in college where a player can use a redshirt year. A redshirt year is student athletes may attend classes at the college or university, practice with an athletic team, and dress for play but may not compete in games. Using this mechanism, a student athlete has up to five academic years to use the four years of eligibility, thus becoming a fifth-year senior.

Sticking with this example, assuming the redshirt year took place as a freshman – we have a situation where a 22-year old man would be competing for a scholarship potentially against a 17-year old player. Not only a scholarship but playing minutes and playing time.

If you think you might reclassify, you need to keep more things in mind than the average player/recruit.

· Make sure your academics are in order. Once you change the date you plan to graduate, either earlier or later, your options for “fixing eligibility issues” are reduced quickly.

· Check to see if you are allowed to graduate early or take classes after graduation. The need for tax dollars means some schools limit or prohibit students from graduating early. The lack of tax dollars means classes for students who have graduated are disappearing.

· Complete eligibility requirements in an academically sound manner. Graduating from high school early might seem like a good idea until rushing through school work leaves you ineligible.

· Consider other aspects of high school. Graduating early might mean no prom, no graduation ceremony, or even no senior year. Going to prep school might mean watching friends go off to college while you stay behind.

· Watch your athletic eligibility. Delaying your enrollment for more than a year or graduating early to focus on your sport before starting college can cause you to lose some of your eligibility.

Once the above information is considered, understood, and addressed the final questions becomes simply this…..?

If you could ensure your child a free education valued at $280K or more derived from $20,000 per year at the high school level ($80K total), and $50,000 per year at the college level – simply by having your child reclass or attend a prep school prior to college allowing them to obtain a degree and leave school debt free would you do it?

The potential is present and everyone will not receive a full-ride or any at – but is it a parents responsibility to provide their child every opportunity for success and maximize the available vehicles to provide this chance? If you end of paying for college anyway what have you lost; or have you gained an extra year with your child at home with you to be part of your family, to teach and mold them, and to create memories that will last a lifetime? 

There is no “right” answer as its all depends on the individual family as to what is the best path for their respective child. The purpose of the article is to explain what all players are up against to obtain a college scholarship. 

At the D1 level there 347 schools; each year each school has roughly 3 to 4 scholarships available – which tabulates to 1041 to 1388 scholarships available for players. Traditionally the most “sought after players” are your top 200 to 300 ranked players by the various scouting services – with the top 30 attracting your “blue blood” schools and the Top 100 attracting what is considered “high major” interest. There are always out layers but this is roughly how it goes at the Division I level.

Given this knowledge being ranked #126 in any class will give you free education just as position #56, #26, or #6. A player can only get one scholarships and only attend one school. For first generation parents (parents with kids going thru the 1st time) it important to understand the process. Look at the schools that the Top 200 players attended in prior years (go back 10 years) and we are sure that at birth if the doctor told you as parents that your son would have the option to attend some of the schools seen there for free – close to 100% would take it on the spot.

Rankings don’t mean anything prior to high school some say; but ask yourself in the 18-months from the start of the every high school player’s freshman year do YOU think it’s HUMANLY POSSIBLE for the 7 primary high school scouts:

Paul Biancardi, Evan Daniels, Eric Bossi, Jerry Meyer, Adam Finkelstein, Brain Snow, Brandon Clay and a handful of others…..

To independently identify who the top players are, go to watch them play, evaluate them when depending on the school, the player, and the level of competition combined with some playing Freshman, JV, and Varsity basketball are all varied and come to a conclusion?

Is it a sheer coincidence thereafter that their presentation is very similar to the top middle school scouts? Maybe even possibly!!!! They communicate with them directly to get an idea of where to start?

Anytime you see a statement that rankings don’t mean anything ask them the aforementioned question and listen to the reply; as well always checks to see if the source is someone who is ranked themselves or engages in the extensive process of ranking players. People often fear what they can’t conquer and hate what they don’t understand.