Prospect watch: Ty Stevens (2017)
REPUBLIC — One of the top point guards in southwest Missouri, 2017 Ty Stevens is taking his game to another level — literally — this season. A three-year varsity player who burst on the scene for Republic as a sophomore,…
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Continue ReadingREPUBLIC — One of the top point guards in southwest Missouri, 2017 Ty Stevens is taking his game to another level — literally — this season.
A three-year varsity player who burst on the scene for Republic as a sophomore, Stevens has always been known for his steady play and leadership, tight handles, and ability to control a game.
But after an offseason working in the weight room, Stevens showed in Monday’s opener against Oak Park he is capable of playing above the rim. Twice Republic ran set plays for a back door lob for the point guard, the first time he caught and finished at the rim, and the second time he flushed the ball with a two-handed slam.
“I’m an all-around player and mostly I stay on the perimeter and I like to shoot 3s, but I think I can get to the rim pretty well,” he said. “I also take pride in my defense.”
Stevens stayed off the AAU circuit this summer and focused on playing with his team and working on his game.
“I really worked on shooting, dribbling and playing team ball,” Stevens said.
One year after winning 21 games, Republic enters the 2016-17 season with high expectations and are poised to attend the Tournament of Champions in January.
“It is something that is a great honor to be in, but a lot of teams have put a target on our backs, but I think we play the way we are supposed to we can beat just about any team in the area,” he said.
Stevens said his parents have been the biggest influence on his game, starting at a young age.
“They pushed me into playing basketball and sports in general and I picked a lot up from my dad,” he said. “I just loved it from there on out.”
Stevens said he enjoys watching the Warriors and Kentucky play basketball.