Breein Tyree- Nothing but Net

By DAN EVANS

In a 2015 game against Point Pleasant Beach, a St. Joseph Metuchen player grabs a defensive rebound and dribbles down the court.  Point guard, Breein Tyree sprints down the court in an attempt to get back on offense and yells “Ball!”  The Metuchen rebounder dishes the ball to Tyree.  No sooner does the ball land in Tyree’s hands before he springs from the hardwood, delivering a thunderous slam dunk, hitting his head on the backboard in the process. It’s that type of explosive play that garnered  Tryee the recognition that would solidify a college basketball career.

“I knew pretty early on that I had a future in basketball,” said Tyree, a 6’2″ 195 pound point guard.

Early Exposure

The Somerset, New Jersey native was ranked as one of the top 100 high school players in the nation as a senior and ranked as one of the top five players in New Jersey by 24/7 Sports, a sports news website that ranks high school athletes by position, sport, and state.

During his senior season as a part of one of the most powerful teams in New Jersey , St. Joseph Metuchen in Metuchen, New Jersey, Tyree, 18, compiled an impressive line of statistics, averaging 16.2 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists respectively.

“I had received a lot of attention early on in my high school career, but I never would have thought I would have gotten the amount of exposure that I did during my junior year,” Tyree said.

By the time Tyree’s junior year of high school had c0me to an end, he had received over 10 scholarship offers from well known basketball programs such as USC, Creighton, and Wichita State.  However, on Sept. 25, 2015, Tyree took a visit to Ole Miss that would shake up everything in his recruitment process.  Three days later, on Sept. 28, Tyree verbally committed to Ole Miss and signed a national letter of intent on Nov. 11, 2015.

Tyree has since proved himself by contributing positively to the Ole Miss Rebels basketball team in his freshman season.

 

All-around Athlete

From a very early age, the people around him knew that Tyree was special.  He excelled in every sport he played and at every level.  From basketball and football to soccer and lacrosse, Tyree was always one of the best players out there.

Many people do not know that he garnered a great deal of attention for his ability on the gridiron, as Tyree spent multiple seasons as a starting quarterback on the St. Joseph Metuchen football team.

When he was younger, Tyree excelled on the soccer pitch and even stated in an interview was offered a youth professional developmental contract at the age of 13 which would have required him to move to Europe.  “I wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when I found out about the contract that he was offered,” said one of Tyree’s former soccer coaches, Scott Burd.  “Bree was one of the most coachable and level-headed kids I’ve ever worked with and I always knew that he would do big things.”

“It was always incredible to watch just how fast he was,” former teammate, Alex Evans said.  “Bree was always one of, if not the most athletic kid on the pitch, and it did not surprise me one bit when I learned about all of the exposure that he was getting.”

For the multifaceted athlete, the question was never about his ability to play at the next level, however, many times Tyree questioned which of the choices he had would he most like to pursue.

“I have no doubt that I could have played at the Division I level in any of the sports I played,” said Tyree.

Family Affair

Tyree comes from a family with tremendous athletic ability.  This definitely may attribute to his athleticism and competitive nature.  His father,Mark , was a standout lacrosse player for Rutgers in the 1970s, his brother Jevon was recruited by Rutgers to play cornerback, and his cousin, David Tyree, may be the most notable athlete in the family due to his heroic catch in SuperBowl XLII that put the Giants in position to knock off the undefeated New England Patriots.

“Sports have always been big in my family,” Tyree said.  “I definitely was at an advantage due to the fact that I had older family members who had the chance to play against and learn from.”

Another contributing factor to Tyree’s high level of play is his experience playing with athletes that have gone on to play professionally.  The most notable athlete Tyree has had experience playing with is the  Minnesota Timberwolves center, Karl-Anthony Towns, as they were teammates at St. Joseph high school.  Towns went on to play a season for coach John Calipari at Kentucky.  Towns has been solid in the NBA thus far compiling a respectable line of statistics including 21.7 points per game and 11.4 rebounds per game in just two seasons in the NBA.

A Day in the Life

For Tyree, an average day starts at around 6:30 AM.  He gets up, eats breakfast, and gets a quick lift in with the team before classes begin.  “Sometimes we watch film instead,” said Tyree about his morning routine.

After the morning workout, Tyree spends the day in class and finishes up in the middle of the afternoon on most days.  After class, the team either has a practice, study hours, or shares a meal together.

“I don’t get much time to myself anymore,” Tyree said.  “I have come to appreciate every second of alone time I can get throughout the day.”  As much as Tyree enjoys the camaraderie that he shares with his teammates, there are plenty of times where Tyree would rather be spending time with his girlfriend or watching Netflix.  Tyree is also still getting used to the fact that his family is back in New Jersey.  Although they are separated by a great distance, Tyree’s parents have been his biggest support system, and managed to make it to many of his games this season.  “Mark and Clarice are two of the most supportive parents I have ever met,” said Mark Evans, father of one of Tyree’s former soccer teammates.  “It was always clear that they wanted the best for their children, and would support all of their dreams and ambitions.”

One aspect that is new to Tyree is the amount of traveling he now has to do.  While Tyree is no stranger to traveling out of state to play a game, as he routinely had to do the same for soccer, the frequency in which he has to travel is something that took him most of the season to get used to.  “It’s a lot different than high school,” said Tyree.  “There were some weeks that I would play three games in three different states, and then head back to Oxford.”

Pictured above is a map pinpointing all of the places Tyree had a chance to visit on the road this season.

2016-2017 Season

The Ole Miss Rebels ended their 2016-2017 campaign with 22 wins and 14 losses, good enough for a fifth place finish in the SEC.  The Rebels did not have a record good enough for a spot in the NCAA tournament, however, they managed to secure the second seed in the NIT tournament.

Although the Rebel’s run in the tournament did not last as long as the team would have liked it to, as Mississippi was upset by Georgia Tech 74-66 in the quarterfinals, Tyree views it all as a learning experience. The freshman posted 7.3 points per fame and just under 2 rebounds while averaging just 19 minutes.“As Breein has gotten healthier, I think his opportunity to play expanded minutes has come and he’s responded in kind,” said head coach, Andy Kennedy of Tyree’s improved play throughout the season in an article the Rebel Walk, as he overcame some nagging injuries.

While these are not the numbers Tyree is used to producing, nor is he playing full games, he understands that he is young and still has time to develop.  The impact he made in his first season, while not big, certainly showed the potential that he has.  Tyree is confident that he will make a much bigger impact next season and will undoubtedly be a difference-maker.

Bright Future

Tyree wishes to accomplish a great deal before his time in Mississippi is up.  “I’m pleased with the way I started my career, but I will never be satisfied,” said Tyree.  The question of a professional career is something that Tyree has been asked numerous times.  “I definitely want to play professionally,” Tyree said.  “Whether I wind up playing in the D League, overseas, or hopefully the NBA, I know I’ll be the happiest I can be with basketball in my life.”  Tyree, a general business major, knows that he can not bank on playing professionally for a long time.  “In the end, I would like to take the money I would have eventually earned, and the skills I have acquired on and off the court to start my own business,” the freshman said.  No matter what, the people around Breein Tyree know for certain that with his work ethic, determination, and drive to be the best, he will be successful in any path he chooses to pursue, whether that path is on the hardwood or not.