Congratulations to Incarnate Word Academy girls’ basketball star Saniah Tyler on her recent commitment to the University of Kentucky.
A 5’7” point guard, Tyler is the reigning St. Louis American Player of the Year after leading the Red Knights to a 29-0 record and the Class 6 state championship. She is also the state’s No. 1 rated recruit according to the website Prep Girls Hoops Missouri’s Class of 2022 ranking. She chose Kentucky over major programs including Tennessee, Michigan and Iowa.
As a junior, she averaged 12.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.2 steals while making 72 three-pointers. She saved her best performances for the most important games, which is why I gave her the nickname “Big Game.” She is a tremendous point guard who will enter her third year as the Red Knights’ starting floor general.
Tyler had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists in a victory over Class 5 state champion Whitfield. She also had a season-high 31 points with six rebounds, four assists and four steals in a victory over Class 4 Final Four participant Vashon in a January showdown.
In the state quarterfinals, she scored 21 points and led a big comeback victory over Columbia Rock Bridge to punch the Red Knights’ ticket back to the Final Four.
She spent the summer playing for Lady Brad Beal Elite, where she enjoyed several sparkling performances.
Tyler is the latest in a line of talented IWA point guards who moved on to Division I collegiate ranks. She follows players including Nakia Bell (Iowa State/SIUE), Sonya Morris (DePaul) and Marissa Warren (Saint Louis U).
Two decades ago, Kentucky came to the metro area to sign talented East St. Louis point guard Rita Adams, who enjoyed an excellent career with the Wildcats from 2001-04.
Pretty as a Peach
The Brad Beal Elite 17U boys’ basketball team concluded an outstanding summer by advancing to the championship game of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C.
The annual Peach Jam is recognized as the most prestigious basketball event on the summer basketball circuit. Brad Beal Elite battled top-rated Team Final to the finish before falling 64-61 in the championship game. The championship game BBE’s semifinal victory over Meanstreets were televised nationally on the ESPN networks.
Braxton Stacker and Robert Lewis (Cardinal Ritter), Nick Kramer (St. Louis University High), Kellen Thames (Pattonville), Connor Turnbull (Fort Zumwalt North) and Christian Jones (East St. Louis) were BBE teammates. The team was coached by Corey Frazier, former head coach at John Burroughs School.
Frazier has departed Burroughs to join the Overtime Elite Basketball League, which is based in Atlanta. The OTE, a fledgling new league, will feature players between the ages of 16 and 18. Players will be paid a minimum of $100,000 a year. Frazier will oversee the skill training operations for the OTE.
Czech mate
Former Chaminade College Prep All-American Jayson Tatum had a breakout performance in the USA’s victory over the Czech Republic in Tokyo Olympics pool play last week. Tatum had a game-high 27 points in the 119-84 victory. He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter, including 14 in a key stretch that broke the the game open.
Kevin Durant scored 24 points while becoming Team USA’s all-time leading scorer in Olympic play. After the game, Durant pointed to Tatum as the player he thinks will break his record.
Tatum is making his first appearance with the Men’s National Team but is a veteran of the USA Basketball system and international competition. He has already won gold medals while playing for USA Basketball at the FIBA U19 and U17 World Cups and the FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
