The biggest motivation for covering shoe company travel events is to watch and get the latest on how recruiting is going for current risiing seniors. But one of the hidden gems is checking out the 16U games where we can find some of the best young up-and-comers who will be all the rage next summer. Many times these players already have multiple college offers.
That would be the case with Ty Berry. The rising junior is a sharp shooter from the middle of Kansas. He also picked up a Minnesota offer in June.
We saw Berry play last Saturday on the final day of the Under Armour Challenge in Cartersville, Georgia. The first noticeable attribute we noticed is that he has unlimited range, and that deep shot is not forced. He made a couple of three's from at least 25-feet. His coach brought him off staggers and multiple screens that would put one in mind of Reggie Miller when Larry Brown was still coaching him in Indianapolis. He wasn't perfect from field, but the spectator will catch himself expecting Berry to make every shot.
Berry is obviously young, and his body is nowhere near maturing. He has deceiving athleticism. He played some point guard, could put the ball on the floor, scored in transition, and finished with an and-one dunk over a defender.
Berry was 27 of 37 from the field for an impressive 73 percent clip, and made 11 of 21 long balls for a 52.4 percent conversion rate. He also had 12 assists on the week against only one turnover in five games. Berry averaged 18.6 points per game in the Under Armour event.
"I'm an all-around player. I can shoot, get to the rim, very quick, and good off the dribble, " Berry described. "I prefer the point, because I like having the ball in my hands, and be in control of the game, but I can play shooting guard as well."
The obvious comment to Berry is to compliment him on his shooting ability, and just like any good gunner, he has confidence in that portion of his game.
"I've always been a shooter. I like coming off the screens and catching, and being ready to shoot. If a man's hands are down, then he's going to get his head cut off, "Berry laughed when saying. "My athleticism helps a lot because dudes don't know if you're going to shoot or drive. You're hard to read that way, if you're a lot more athletic, and can shoot."
How much he grows in the next couple of years will be a huge factor. He has the skills of a two, but the body of a point guard right now. Nevertheless, his game last Saturday was a fertile recruiting ground for Big Ten coaches and others throughout the Midwest.
He has offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Creighton, Kansas State, Iowa, Colorado, Weber State, and Drake. Many of those programs were courtside among several others.
Minnesota's assistant coach, Ed Conroy, was on hand for several games. Berry told us how that Gopher interest and an eventual offer came about.
"I went up there to their high school team camp along with a lot of other recruits, and I was put on that team with other recruits. We played against other high school teams. I had a great time up there. We ended up going 2-1. We lost to De LaSalle, a tough team from Minnesota. I played really well, and Coach Pitino came up and gave me a scholarship."
"Coach Pitino said he like how I play." Berry continued. "How smart I am with the ball, and said he can't wait to see how I progress."
The invite to the Minnesota team camp was not blind luck. Berry is from Newton. Kansas, which is just outside Wichita. That is where a relationship was formed that would impact Minnesota.
"The assistant coach, Kyle Lindsted, that's at Minnesota now, was at Wichita State. He was recruiting me at Wichita State before he left and went to Minnesota, so that's how I have that connection."
Berry says he had good vibes from the visit and was impressed with what Minnesota had to offer.
"I thought it was awesome," Berry exclaimed. "I thought everything up there was sweet. The city that it's in, and the college campus. I didn't get to tour the campus. I just saw the facility and stuff like that. I thought the facilities were really tough. It was really nice."
Berry said the relationship with the Minnesota staff has progressed nicely since he made his way back to Newton.
"I talk to Kyle almost every day. It goes good. He asks me how I do at my games. We talk all of the time."
Besides Minnesota, Berry has taken other unofficial visits to Colorado, Missouri, Creighton, and Nebraska. He said he currently doesn't have plans for any more visits in the near future.
That would be the case with Ty Berry. The rising junior is a sharp shooter from the middle of Kansas. He also picked up a Minnesota offer in June.
We saw Berry play last Saturday on the final day of the Under Armour Challenge in Cartersville, Georgia. The first noticeable attribute we noticed is that he has unlimited range, and that deep shot is not forced. He made a couple of three's from at least 25-feet. His coach brought him off staggers and multiple screens that would put one in mind of Reggie Miller when Larry Brown was still coaching him in Indianapolis. He wasn't perfect from field, but the spectator will catch himself expecting Berry to make every shot.
Berry is obviously young, and his body is nowhere near maturing. He has deceiving athleticism. He played some point guard, could put the ball on the floor, scored in transition, and finished with an and-one dunk over a defender.
Berry was 27 of 37 from the field for an impressive 73 percent clip, and made 11 of 21 long balls for a 52.4 percent conversion rate. He also had 12 assists on the week against only one turnover in five games. Berry averaged 18.6 points per game in the Under Armour event.
"I'm an all-around player. I can shoot, get to the rim, very quick, and good off the dribble, " Berry described. "I prefer the point, because I like having the ball in my hands, and be in control of the game, but I can play shooting guard as well."
The obvious comment to Berry is to compliment him on his shooting ability, and just like any good gunner, he has confidence in that portion of his game.
"I've always been a shooter. I like coming off the screens and catching, and being ready to shoot. If a man's hands are down, then he's going to get his head cut off, "Berry laughed when saying. "My athleticism helps a lot because dudes don't know if you're going to shoot or drive. You're hard to read that way, if you're a lot more athletic, and can shoot."
How much he grows in the next couple of years will be a huge factor. He has the skills of a two, but the body of a point guard right now. Nevertheless, his game last Saturday was a fertile recruiting ground for Big Ten coaches and others throughout the Midwest.
He has offers from Minnesota, Nebraska, Creighton, Kansas State, Iowa, Colorado, Weber State, and Drake. Many of those programs were courtside among several others.
Minnesota's assistant coach, Ed Conroy, was on hand for several games. Berry told us how that Gopher interest and an eventual offer came about.
"I went up there to their high school team camp along with a lot of other recruits, and I was put on that team with other recruits. We played against other high school teams. I had a great time up there. We ended up going 2-1. We lost to De LaSalle, a tough team from Minnesota. I played really well, and Coach Pitino came up and gave me a scholarship."
"Coach Pitino said he like how I play." Berry continued. "How smart I am with the ball, and said he can't wait to see how I progress."
The invite to the Minnesota team camp was not blind luck. Berry is from Newton. Kansas, which is just outside Wichita. That is where a relationship was formed that would impact Minnesota.
"The assistant coach, Kyle Lindsted, that's at Minnesota now, was at Wichita State. He was recruiting me at Wichita State before he left and went to Minnesota, so that's how I have that connection."
Berry says he had good vibes from the visit and was impressed with what Minnesota had to offer.
"I thought it was awesome," Berry exclaimed. "I thought everything up there was sweet. The city that it's in, and the college campus. I didn't get to tour the campus. I just saw the facility and stuff like that. I thought the facilities were really tough. It was really nice."
Berry said the relationship with the Minnesota staff has progressed nicely since he made his way back to Newton.
"I talk to Kyle almost every day. It goes good. He asks me how I do at my games. We talk all of the time."
Besides Minnesota, Berry has taken other unofficial visits to Colorado, Missouri, Creighton, and Nebraska. He said he currently doesn't have plans for any more visits in the near future.
