Prospect Spotlight: Ty Peterson (2022)
Archbishop Spalding has emerged as one of the hottest teams in the area. What makes them even more impressive is the amount of underclassmen that are featured heavily in the rotation. Many know the 2022 duo of Cam Whitmore and CJ Scott, but Ty Peterson has been another sophomore that has been a consistent presence for the Cavaliers. I caught up with the 5-foot-11 point guard after they upset No. 1 ranked Gilman in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Playoffs last night.
“We’ve just made this thing into a brotherhood,” Peterson said on why Spalding has been rolling as of late. “We’ve been practicing really hard and we’ve had a lot of close losses this year. We definitely learned from those. Since then, we’ve just grew closer got better.”
Earning meaningful wins over teams such as Loyola, Boys’ Latin and Mount St. Joe to end their season helped propel them into the final playoff spot of the red division. Their combination of size, athleticism and energy at all five positions can be hard to match up against. Now that their confidence level is at an all time high, they become an extremely dangerous opponent.
Peterson was key in their 89-85 win last night as he finished with 15 points and scored in a variety of ways. He knocked down two catch-and-shoot three’s in the first half and spent the second half attacking the rim, finishing with craft to avoid shot-blockers.
Many times, it’s hard to get such a young team to buy into their respective roles, but it’s evident that the Cavaliers are very comfortable with where they are.
“Just taking care of the offense and being a leader,” Peterson said as he reflected on his role. “I’ve been really working on my leadership and my ability to control the offense. I also have to bring it defensively and encourage my teammates whenever I can.”
Spalding will head to Mount St. Joe Thursday night in a match up to determine who will be featured in the MIAA Championship game. They’ve already went into The Smith Center once recently and beat the Gaels, so again, their confidence isn’t an issue.
“We have to get off to a quick start like we did here tonight. It was also big in getting a win at their place last time. We have to make sure we do all of the little things and play hard,” Peterson said.
I then asked Peterson to describe his game, which he did accurately.
“I’m a shifty guard and I try to play as a pass-first guy. I can definitely get to the line and I have underrated defense. I believe I’m a two-way player. This off-season I want to focus on getting stronger. I’m getting bumped around a little bit, so I want to improve my strength and my jump shot.”