Four-Star SF Tyler Betsey down to 7 schools 

Windsor (Conn.) St. Thomas More four-star small forward Tyler Betsey is down to seven schools, he tells On3. Moving forward, the 6-foot-8, 185-pound rising senior will consider Alabama, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Creighton, Duke, Indiana, and Villanova.

Betsey has taken official visits to three of his finalists: UConn, Indiana, and Creighton. As of this writing, he has not scheduled any additional visits.

Along with his seven finalists, Betsey also received offers from Memphis, Michigan State, Syracuse, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Iowa, and others. 

Betsey ranks as the No. 31 overall prospect in the 2024 class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 13 small forward in the class and the No. 1 player in Connecticut.

Betsey breaks down schools in the mix 

In a previous interview with On3, Tyler Betsey discussed several of the schools involved in his recruitment. 

UConn: “I knew a lot about them going into my visit. I talk with them almost every single day, and I went up there for an unofficial visit too. So I wouldn’t say I necessarily learned anything new on my visit, but I did get to interact with the players and then see them in action, in practice and all. I got to see the campus and really be around everything that is important to being part of the UConn basketball team. I’m a hometown kid; that is something they talk about a lot. I like to win games, I mean, who doesn’t like to win games, and they just won a national championship? So I would say I would come in and contribute to winning. Coach (Dan) Hurley and the staff, they show a lot of love.”

Indiana: “It was the coaching staff that really stood out for me. We got a good connection, it felt like I had already known them for a long time when I went out there. My family and I were all really comfortable with the coaching staff. Standing in Assembly Hall was memorable for me. I mean, that place is huge; there were seats everywhere. And when I went on my visit, they had a kids camp, so we got to see how many people can really fit in there.”

Creighton: “They play up and down, shoot a lot of threes and take the first available shot. That is how I play right now with my high school and AAU teams. The coaching staff is cool there, and Omaha, Nebraska, is not like I expected it to be. It’s a big, modern city. There was a lot to do there, so that was good.”

Alabama: “Seeing what Brandon Miller did has really intrigued me. I look at him, and he looks a lot like me and does a lot of the same stuff I do. I didn’t see him jumping crazy high or anything, I think he is just a solid basketball player who put in the work. And in that system, they get up and down and shoot the basketball and defend. I like how they play.”

Cincinnati: “The coaching staff reaches out a lot, and they show a lot of love. One of my coaches at school, Cane Broome, also went there. We have become really close, and he tells me all about the city and everything there is to do outside of basketball. They’re moving to be Big 12, so that’s big. I hear a lot of good things about (head coach) Wes Miller, he’s really personable. He came to my school one time and sat down, and we just talked for like three hours straight. I was really comfortable with him, and it was a great conversation.”

Duke: “Jai Lucas, that’s my guy. I talk with him and Coach (Chris) Carrawell a lot. I’m going to visit them in September. They’ve shown me what all they have done with freshmen and the freedom they give their freshmen to play with. “This year, for example, they started off rough, but they let their freshmen play through their mistakes. And those same mistakes those freshmen made at the beginning of the year, they weren’t making them in March. They made a run to win the ACC and won a game in the NCAA Tournament. I would say he had a very successful first season as a head coach.”

What he’s looking for in a program 

“I’m going to look closely at how I connect with the staff, and mainly with the head coach,” Betsey said. “I want to see how I fit in with everyone around the program, from the academic advisor to the strength coach. I’ll want to see how I fit in with everyone around the school because they’re going to be around a lot too. As a basketball player, you’re also going to be a student too, so I want to be comfortable around the campus. 

Tyler Betsey Scouting Report

Tyler Betsey has excellent length and a projectable frame. He is a smooth shooter with a quick release and deep range. He is a threat off the catch, with outstanding balance and a high, repeatable release. He uses his length in the passing lanes with natural instincts, getting a lot of deflections. He can also move his feet with wings, staying with them with his lateral quickness and length. Betsey is a good athlete. He needs to continue to develop off the bounce, creating for himself, but he plays efficiently in the half-court and acts as an excellent floor spacer. He is good in straight lines, getting to the rim on ball rotations. Would like to see develop some middle game on offense. Strength will be a big thing for him moving forward, but he is developing into the three-and-d type of prospect that is so valuable in today’s game. – On3’s Jamie Shaw