Millbrook's Tyson is center of attention
Millbrook’s Jalen Tyson (23) guards Sherando’s Cole Armel during a game earlier this season. Tyson leads the area in scoring average (18.8) and is second in rebounding (8.9) for the Pioneers (13-1).
Millbrook senior Jalen Tyson is shooting 71 percent from the foul line, one of several offensive statistics he has made significant gains on since last season.
WINCHESTER — At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Millbrook three-sport athlete Jalen Tyson is hard to miss no matter where he is.
Throw in his jolly nature and infectious smile and he can’t help being the center of attention.
And so far this basketball season, the center is getting noticed for how well he is playing.
Heading into last Friday’s games, Tyson led the area with an 18.8 scoring average and was second in rebounding with 8.9 average. He’s shooting 56 percent from the field and 71 percent from the foul line.
It’s a marked improvement for someone who averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds last season.
Tyson himself marvels at seeing his name atop those statistical categories at this point. He has helped the Pioneers get off to an outstanding 13-1 start, 5-1 in the Class 4 Northwestern District.
“It is very weird,” Tyson said of leading the area in scoring. “I was never expecting that. I always knew that there is a lot of competition in the area and knowing I am on top is very heartwarming.”
Tyson has become a big part of the Millbrook offense, which is somewhat of a change from last season according to second-year coach Rob Harris.
Last winter, the Pioneers were loaded with senior talent that both could shoot and create offense from the perimeter. This season, the Pioneers are not shooting as many 3-pointers and that’s where Tyson’s skills have moved to the forefront.
“We’re a little bit more inside focused,” Harris said. “... He’s just been a good dominant force down low for us. We kind of work with him and through him a little bit, understanding that there’s some schemes that we have to add when teams take him away.”
Tyson says his success has been a byproduct of both physical and mental improvements.
“It’s more about getting in shape,” he said. “Last year, I wasn’t as aggressive as I have been this year. … Once I get on the block, it’s like, ‘Be dominant.’”
And he has been dominant, racking up multiple double-doubles against players who can’t handle him.
“We look to get him the ball a lot in the post because there are a lot of mismatches,” Millbrook point guard Noah Thomas said. “He looks to be more aggressive all of the time now.”
One of the ways Tyson feels he is better this winter is because of something he did for the first time this fall — play varsity football.
After spraining a knee as an eighth-grader, Tyson had given up on the gridiron, a sport he said he loved as a youngster.
But this fall, he decided to play again and saw action primarily as a tight end for the Pioneers’ football squad, which advanced to the Region 4C playoffs.
“I felt like, ‘Let me give it one year and see what I’ve got,’” Tyson said. “I really loved it. My biggest regret in high school is not playing all four years.”
While he had to work his way into basketball shape this season, Tyson says he benefited significantly from football.
His basketball coach agrees.
“From a physical perspective, it probably did — lifting those weights and being out there with that contact,” Harris said. “He’s getting a lot of contact in the paint area right now and he is able to battle through this year what he didn’t really battle through last year. He’s doing a lot better and I think football helped him from that perspective.”
Despite devoting many hours to the weight room, football practice and his studies, Tyson said he found time to work on his basketball game, too.
“I worked a lot on my jump hooks because I know nobody is going to block that,” he said. “I worked on developing a jump shot and going behind the arc and start shooting more. I was more about finishing and getting stronger. Football helped me a lot in the weight room.”
Opponents agree that Tyson is a load to contend with in the paint. If Tyson gets position, very few can push him off the block.
“He’s physical,” Handley’s Kevin Curry said. “Jalen is a big guy. He’s nice off the court, but when he gets between those lines you don’t hear anything funny. He’s probably one of the hardest players to guard because he’s 6-5 and 240. He’s very physical down low and he has a soft touch and can shoot the ball.”
That soft touch extends to areas beside the paint. Tyson has made 5 of 6 three-point attempts this season.
“He’s proven in practice that he can make that shot,” Harris said. “I’ve given him the opportunities in games to step out and make the shot and he’s done that.”
As well as he’s playing basketball, Tyson hasn’t even started his best sport as a senior, yet.
That will come when the Pioneers open the baseball season this spring. Tyson currently is getting looks from Division II and Division III colleges as a first baseman and a pitcher.
Last season, Tyson was a standout on a squad that advanced to the Region 4C playoffs and he was a Winchester Star All-Area First Team selection
Tyson, batting in the middle of the Pioneers lineup, was second on the team with a .348 batting average. He had team-highs for home runs (2), RBIs (20) and doubles (12). He went 3-3 on the mound with a team-best 2.15 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 39 innings.
“He really hit a hot streak from the middle to the latter part of the season,” Millbrook baseball coach Brian Burke said. “We really counted on him to come up with the big hit. I think what really fueled that is you go back to that Sherando game and he hit that two-run homer and we ended up winning that game by a run (2-1). He had just begun to really turn it on offensively for us and it carried right into the remainder of the season and in postseason play.”
Burke, who also serves as an assistant basketball coach, says he can’t wait to see what Tyson can produce this spring.
“I think there’s still so much there inside of him to just continue to improve and get better,” Burke said. “I don’t think he’s peaked. I don’t even think he’s close to reaching his capabilities at this point of his career. I’m excited to see what happens for him this spring.”
“I’m ready for baseball season to come, I really am,” said Tyson, who says he’s hoping to add a few miles per hour to a fastball that’s clocked in the low 80’s.
He knows nothing is guaranteed in a sport where you fail more often (especially at the plate) than not.
“Baseball is a lot harder than football and basketball only because hitting a baseball is not easy at all,” Tyson said. “You have to be talented and know what to do. You have to read pitches. You have to know what to do when the situation comes. Pitching-wise, you have to be able to hit your locations. In high school if it’s right down the middle, it’s going to get cranked.”
On thing, that is guaranteed is that Tyson will enjoy whatever sport is in season.
During the Pioneers’ recent first-place clash against Handley, Tyson and Judges’ forward D’Andre James were having a pleasant conversation while lined up next to each other while free throws were being shot.
“He’s just a funny guy,” Curry said. “He doesn’t talk trash. He was probably making jokes. That’s just how Jalen is.”
“He’s always loud, being obnoxious,” Thomas said. “He’s really funny. I love being around him.”
Tyson also makes his presence felt of social media. On Twitter, he goes by the handle “squeezyj23,” a moniker he acquired in middle school. (Tyson’s basketball uniform number is 23.)
“It was a song called ‘Squeezed Up’ by Drebo,” he explained. “I was always singing it in the hallways and my friends started calling me Squeeze.”
He uses social media to not only broadcast his own or his team’s exploits. If another area team or player does well, Tyson usually is among the first to re-tweet it.
“It’s not just Handley. It’s the James Wood, the Sherando, the Liberty,” Tyson said. “I know guys from every school. I always like seeing people do well.”
And he says that attitude is inherent.
“My parents [Kenan and Ivy] raised me right,” he said. “It’s always a blessing to be told, ‘You’re such a good kid and you are raised by the right parents.’ That’s what they have always taught me to do.”
Both Harris and Burke praise Tyson’s leadership skills.
“Jalen is a joy,” Harris said. “He is one of our vocal leaders and all of our young men respond to him. Being a senior, he understands how important each and every game and practice is. He’s come out and played like it this year.”
“He’s a natural leader,” Burke added. “If you look at him, he’s going to command attention in any room because of his physical stature, but he’s also a good motivator. He wants to push his teammates. I think he’s starting to realize when he’s not able to get the job done himself — because he does put that pressure on himself to always excel and do well — that he knows how to use positive words to help encourage those around him. The players respect him for that.
“He’s got a very serious side to him, but he’s also a big teddy bear full of affection with his teammates as well. … He finds a way through encouraging words and his teddy bear side to get his guys going, loosen them up and make them laugh.”
Tyson said he’s going to savor every moment while he can since he will only be able to play one sport in college.
“I’m going to miss the football and the basketball,” he said. “Baseball is always gong to be there. Once basketball ends, it’s just pick-up now. When senior night comes, it’s going to be hard for sure.”
Harris said that there aren’t many athletes like Tyson, who excel in many facets.
“He plays three sports,” Harris said. “He’s a good student and a joy. He has made it very fun for me to be able to coach these young men.”
And Burke thinks Tyson will command even more attention in the future.
“I think when he realizes his full potential as an athlete he’s really going to take off.”
- By WALT MOODY The Winchester Star
- Jan 14, 2019
Millbrook’s Jalen Tyson (23) guards Sherando’s Cole Armel during a game earlier this season. Tyson leads the area in scoring average (18.8) and is second in rebounding (8.9) for the Pioneers (13-1).
Millbrook senior Jalen Tyson is shooting 71 percent from the foul line, one of several offensive statistics he has made significant gains on since last season.
WINCHESTER — At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Millbrook three-sport athlete Jalen Tyson is hard to miss no matter where he is.
Throw in his jolly nature and infectious smile and he can’t help being the center of attention.
And so far this basketball season, the center is getting noticed for how well he is playing.
Heading into last Friday’s games, Tyson led the area with an 18.8 scoring average and was second in rebounding with 8.9 average. He’s shooting 56 percent from the field and 71 percent from the foul line.
It’s a marked improvement for someone who averaged 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds last season.
Tyson himself marvels at seeing his name atop those statistical categories at this point. He has helped the Pioneers get off to an outstanding 13-1 start, 5-1 in the Class 4 Northwestern District.
“It is very weird,” Tyson said of leading the area in scoring. “I was never expecting that. I always knew that there is a lot of competition in the area and knowing I am on top is very heartwarming.”
Tyson has become a big part of the Millbrook offense, which is somewhat of a change from last season according to second-year coach Rob Harris.
Last winter, the Pioneers were loaded with senior talent that both could shoot and create offense from the perimeter. This season, the Pioneers are not shooting as many 3-pointers and that’s where Tyson’s skills have moved to the forefront.
“We’re a little bit more inside focused,” Harris said. “... He’s just been a good dominant force down low for us. We kind of work with him and through him a little bit, understanding that there’s some schemes that we have to add when teams take him away.”
Tyson says his success has been a byproduct of both physical and mental improvements.
“It’s more about getting in shape,” he said. “Last year, I wasn’t as aggressive as I have been this year. … Once I get on the block, it’s like, ‘Be dominant.’”
And he has been dominant, racking up multiple double-doubles against players who can’t handle him.
“We look to get him the ball a lot in the post because there are a lot of mismatches,” Millbrook point guard Noah Thomas said. “He looks to be more aggressive all of the time now.”
One of the ways Tyson feels he is better this winter is because of something he did for the first time this fall — play varsity football.
After spraining a knee as an eighth-grader, Tyson had given up on the gridiron, a sport he said he loved as a youngster.
But this fall, he decided to play again and saw action primarily as a tight end for the Pioneers’ football squad, which advanced to the Region 4C playoffs.
“I felt like, ‘Let me give it one year and see what I’ve got,’” Tyson said. “I really loved it. My biggest regret in high school is not playing all four years.”
While he had to work his way into basketball shape this season, Tyson says he benefited significantly from football.
His basketball coach agrees.
“From a physical perspective, it probably did — lifting those weights and being out there with that contact,” Harris said. “He’s getting a lot of contact in the paint area right now and he is able to battle through this year what he didn’t really battle through last year. He’s doing a lot better and I think football helped him from that perspective.”
Despite devoting many hours to the weight room, football practice and his studies, Tyson said he found time to work on his basketball game, too.
“I worked a lot on my jump hooks because I know nobody is going to block that,” he said. “I worked on developing a jump shot and going behind the arc and start shooting more. I was more about finishing and getting stronger. Football helped me a lot in the weight room.”
Opponents agree that Tyson is a load to contend with in the paint. If Tyson gets position, very few can push him off the block.
“He’s physical,” Handley’s Kevin Curry said. “Jalen is a big guy. He’s nice off the court, but when he gets between those lines you don’t hear anything funny. He’s probably one of the hardest players to guard because he’s 6-5 and 240. He’s very physical down low and he has a soft touch and can shoot the ball.”
That soft touch extends to areas beside the paint. Tyson has made 5 of 6 three-point attempts this season.
“He’s proven in practice that he can make that shot,” Harris said. “I’ve given him the opportunities in games to step out and make the shot and he’s done that.”
As well as he’s playing basketball, Tyson hasn’t even started his best sport as a senior, yet.
That will come when the Pioneers open the baseball season this spring. Tyson currently is getting looks from Division II and Division III colleges as a first baseman and a pitcher.
Last season, Tyson was a standout on a squad that advanced to the Region 4C playoffs and he was a Winchester Star All-Area First Team selection
Tyson, batting in the middle of the Pioneers lineup, was second on the team with a .348 batting average. He had team-highs for home runs (2), RBIs (20) and doubles (12). He went 3-3 on the mound with a team-best 2.15 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 39 innings.
“He really hit a hot streak from the middle to the latter part of the season,” Millbrook baseball coach Brian Burke said. “We really counted on him to come up with the big hit. I think what really fueled that is you go back to that Sherando game and he hit that two-run homer and we ended up winning that game by a run (2-1). He had just begun to really turn it on offensively for us and it carried right into the remainder of the season and in postseason play.”
Burke, who also serves as an assistant basketball coach, says he can’t wait to see what Tyson can produce this spring.
“I think there’s still so much there inside of him to just continue to improve and get better,” Burke said. “I don’t think he’s peaked. I don’t even think he’s close to reaching his capabilities at this point of his career. I’m excited to see what happens for him this spring.”
“I’m ready for baseball season to come, I really am,” said Tyson, who says he’s hoping to add a few miles per hour to a fastball that’s clocked in the low 80’s.
He knows nothing is guaranteed in a sport where you fail more often (especially at the plate) than not.
“Baseball is a lot harder than football and basketball only because hitting a baseball is not easy at all,” Tyson said. “You have to be talented and know what to do. You have to read pitches. You have to know what to do when the situation comes. Pitching-wise, you have to be able to hit your locations. In high school if it’s right down the middle, it’s going to get cranked.”
On thing, that is guaranteed is that Tyson will enjoy whatever sport is in season.
During the Pioneers’ recent first-place clash against Handley, Tyson and Judges’ forward D’Andre James were having a pleasant conversation while lined up next to each other while free throws were being shot.
“He’s just a funny guy,” Curry said. “He doesn’t talk trash. He was probably making jokes. That’s just how Jalen is.”
“He’s always loud, being obnoxious,” Thomas said. “He’s really funny. I love being around him.”
Tyson also makes his presence felt of social media. On Twitter, he goes by the handle “squeezyj23,” a moniker he acquired in middle school. (Tyson’s basketball uniform number is 23.)
“It was a song called ‘Squeezed Up’ by Drebo,” he explained. “I was always singing it in the hallways and my friends started calling me Squeeze.”
He uses social media to not only broadcast his own or his team’s exploits. If another area team or player does well, Tyson usually is among the first to re-tweet it.
“It’s not just Handley. It’s the James Wood, the Sherando, the Liberty,” Tyson said. “I know guys from every school. I always like seeing people do well.”
And he says that attitude is inherent.
“My parents [Kenan and Ivy] raised me right,” he said. “It’s always a blessing to be told, ‘You’re such a good kid and you are raised by the right parents.’ That’s what they have always taught me to do.”
Both Harris and Burke praise Tyson’s leadership skills.
“Jalen is a joy,” Harris said. “He is one of our vocal leaders and all of our young men respond to him. Being a senior, he understands how important each and every game and practice is. He’s come out and played like it this year.”
“He’s a natural leader,” Burke added. “If you look at him, he’s going to command attention in any room because of his physical stature, but he’s also a good motivator. He wants to push his teammates. I think he’s starting to realize when he’s not able to get the job done himself — because he does put that pressure on himself to always excel and do well — that he knows how to use positive words to help encourage those around him. The players respect him for that.
“He’s got a very serious side to him, but he’s also a big teddy bear full of affection with his teammates as well. … He finds a way through encouraging words and his teddy bear side to get his guys going, loosen them up and make them laugh.”
Tyson said he’s going to savor every moment while he can since he will only be able to play one sport in college.
“I’m going to miss the football and the basketball,” he said. “Baseball is always gong to be there. Once basketball ends, it’s just pick-up now. When senior night comes, it’s going to be hard for sure.”
Harris said that there aren’t many athletes like Tyson, who excel in many facets.
“He plays three sports,” Harris said. “He’s a good student and a joy. He has made it very fun for me to be able to coach these young men.”
And Burke thinks Tyson will command even more attention in the future.
“I think when he realizes his full potential as an athlete he’s really going to take off.”
