Spotlight Player: 2014 Ty Cleland: West Linn HS (OR)

Ty Cleland, 6’0 (PG/W), from West Linn High School is hoping to make a tremendous impact on the Lions basketball program by taking his promotion to varsity basketball and becoming an integral point of their attack. Cleland in his young basketball career has demonstrated the ability to play multiple positions most importantly being able to start or spell at point guard. He is calm, cool, and collected when put in the point guard position being able to bring the ball up the floor without difficulty and able to run plays for others efficiently. This calm demeanor will often lull teams into thinking that he will not go to the basket but Cleland has demonstrated the ability to hit another gear and slash to the basket with tremendous fluidity. Naturally he seems like a fit at the two-guard or wing position because of lightning quick release and his ability to score.

Along with having a quick and smooth release, Cleland can read defenses well, get to the basket, and either draw contact so that he can get to the free throw line when other teams close off the perimeter jumper or find a teammate for an easier basket. In a pinch he can play the three and defend bigger kids by being a pest on defense with his speed and tenacity while also being strong enough to rebound in traffic against bigger bodies. Cleland has spent some time putting his talents on display at an Individual Camp at University of Oregon and will continue to display them on Coach Jason Buffam’s Oregon D1 Ambassadors Reign Gold  Team in July at these tournaments: July 9-11 Northwest Premier Shootout Bellevue, WA July 13-15 Northwest Hoops Summer Shootout Portland, OR July 22-26Fab 48, Las Vegas, NV July 27-30 Best of Summer Anaheim, CA