November 11, 2015. The NCAA began its weeklong Early Signing Period in which high school seniors were able to officially sign their National Letter of Intent and commit to the college of their choice. In Bainbridge, Georgia, all eyes were on one young man. And as the news unfolded, a city bursting with pride didn’t hesitate to join in the jubilation.
Tyree Crump, with a swift stroke of the pen, made his choice formal. This fall, he will be attending the University of Georgia in Athens. He will remain in state, and he will be a Bulldog. The options were tremendous; he had been contacted by many of the big names in the world of college hoops. And although Florida, Florida State, Memphis, Tennessee, and the University of Connecticut (among others) came calling, Tyree chose to remain home. And his thought process was much more simple than expected.
”Signing with Georgia makes it easier for my family to come see me play if they want to,” Tyree says. “Also, Georgia gives me more of an opportunity to come in and contribute right away. I really felt that I could make a difference in their program.”
Standing 6’2”, Tyree is a combo guard and says that he’s comfortable filling in at either the point or shooting guard position. Outside of school, he has been a member of Showtime Hoops, an AAU basketball team comprised of players from Georgia and Florida.
“I’m always trying to improve,” he says. “That’s what I love about this game; there is a constant opportunity to develop. I just want to continue to work so that I can be the best player possible.”
He’s a four-year member of the Bainbridge Bearcats varsity basketball team. An outstanding presence, he has compiled career averages of over 21 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. As a sophomore, he was named to the Class AAAAA All-State Second Team. After his junior campaign, he was awarded a spot on the Class AAAA All-State First Team by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. And although, as of this writing, his final season has yet to be completed, his 20.7 points, 4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.5 steals per game have his team sitting at 15-7 (9-3 in Region 1-AAAA) and fighting for a postseason berth.
In his freshman season, while competing in Class AAAAA, the team made the postseason but fell in the first round with an overtime defeat at the hands of the Creekside Seminoles (Fairburn, Ga.). In 2014, the Bearcats made it to the Elite Eight of the GHSA Class AAAA State Playoffs before a 69-48 loss to Warner Robins. Last season, the team failed to make it to the dance.
“I love to win,” he says. “These awards, all that is nice, and I love seeing my hard work pay off. But, in all honesty, my ‘crowning moment’ hasn’t happened yet; my biggest accomplishment will be winning a state championship. I still believe we can do it, because I play with a strong group of guys that are just as hungry as I am.”
By the time you read this, the smoke will have cleared, the playoffs will have neared completion, and the GHSA will have crowned a 2016 Class AAAA State Champion. Perhaps it will be the Bainbridge Bearcats. However, even if it’s not, Tyree can head to the University of Georgia with his head held high. He has put in the work and given it his all, and now his undying work ethic will take him to the next level. He is looking to study sports medicine and aspires to one day open his own sports-related business. Regardless of the avenue, he wants to remain close to the game that he has loved since he was an 8-year-old playing for fun with his friends.
“I really hope that my work ethic shines and sets an example in the (Bainbridge) community,” he says. “A lot of the kids around here look up to me, and I always want to be sure that I’m setting a positive example for them. I want them to understand that hard work and dedication can take you anywhere.”
Sidebar:
When it came to signing his Letter of Intent, Tyree says that only one person knew of his decision beforehand: his mother, Shanttell Crump. He holds a special place in his heart for his family, but none more so than his mother, who raised him as a single parent after his father, Tyree Wilburn, passed away prior to the younger Tyree’s birth.
“I didn’t tell anybody but her,” he says. “It was strictly between us. At the end of the day, I do what I do because I want to show my mother what she’s done for me. She raised me on her own, and I want to be the best I can be so that she knows how much I appreciate her and everything she’s done. My parents are my number-one motivation.”
South Georgia / January 2016
Tyree Crump
Bainbridge High School
Bainbridge, Ga.
Bainbridge Senior Commits to the Bulldogs
By James Washington
