Recruiting Report: Tyus Arends (2018)
Six-foot Sioux Center guard Tyus Arends is representing Iowa on the South Dakota Attack team this spring and doing it well.
“I’ve learned that the athletes I’m going to be potentially competing against in college are a lot bigger faster stronger and more skilled than I am so it motivates me to keep working this summer,” Tyus said about his team with the Attack.
The Attack is 7-7 after three tournaments of play (Des Moines, Minneapolis, and Omaha). This weekend they take part in a local camp followed by July events in St. Cloud (MN), Sioux Falls, and Lawrence (KS).
“In AAU I’ve learned that I can’t rely solely on my jump shot, I need to work on counters off of that.”
Tyus averaged 18.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists a game this winter for his 15-9 high school team. Arends also shot 46 percent from the field, 45.3 percent at the arc (took 7-8 threes a game), and 83 percent at the foul line as a junior.
“This winter I felt I grew most with my poise and composure,” Tyus said. “Last year when I would get face-guarded often times it got into my head and I would play bad.
“But this past year I’ve came a long way and I’ve become much better at remaining calm and figuring out a way to beat it. The thing I took most from the year is that you can’t do it alone. You need guys around you to help.”
For his senior year Arends has bigger expectations of himself. He’s working every day in the gym to reach those goals plus is playing the seven weekends with the Attack.
“I’d say the thing I’m trying to do is just get bigger and more physical. A lot of times I was unable to make tough finishes at the rim and I want to be able to do that this year. So finishing as well.”
Arends will play college basketball, it’s just a question of where and at what level.
“Yeah I definitely want to play in college,” Tyus said. “Right now I’m open to about anything, looking at a couple D2’s and NAIA schools, I haven’t really narrowed it down yet though.
“I want to pick up a couple of offers from schools that I’m interested in and then hopefully in less than a year make a decision as to where I’m going to attend college.”