2016 GMC Hoops Awards–Dunker of the Year

St. Joseph’s Bree Tyree Head and Shoulders Above the Rest

Bree Tyree of St. Joseph’s elevates for a two handed jam in the first half against South Brunswick in the 2016 GMCT Boys Championship at Kean University on February 25th. Led by Tyree, who was selected as the GMC Hoops Dunker of the Year, The Falcons won the game, 56-48.

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ—He is the last of St. Joseph’s Fab Five. Bree Tyree, a member of the 2013-14 St. Joe’s Falcons squad that brought home the Tournament of Champions title by edging Newark Eastside in the final, stood out in his own way through his tremendous athleticism. Tyree, the nephew of former New York Giants wideout, David Tyree, who is known for his amazing catch against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, and the younger brother of former South Brunswick football and basketball standout, Jevon Tyree, always seemed to set the tone of a big game with one of his thunderous dunks.

St. Joseph’s standout, Bree Tyree elevates for what turned out to be the best dunk of the day at the NJSCA North-South All-Star Game Slam Dunk Contest on March 20th at Rider University. Tyree was selected as GMC Hoops Dunker of the Year

Let’s take a trip back in time to opening night of the 2014-15 GMC Boys Basketball season when top ranked St. Joseph’s took on fourth ranked South Brunswick in Monmouth Junction. For much of the first half, the Vikings, led by Jack Engel and Eric Savage, was only trailing by a few points when Joes closed the half with a little bit of a run to go up by 8 or 9. Then, at the start of the third quarter, Tyree got the ball, and dribbled around the right side of the floor, like a cheetah stalking its prey, and then he struck with a drive to the hoop for an emphatic one handed slam.

The dunk created waves on twitter after I had posted a clip of it. More importantly though, it turned the game on its ear as Joes continued to pull away from South Brunswick for a 59-42 victory. Tyree had a similar pair of dunks in a 75-53 victory over then second ranked East Brunswick in a key GMC Red Showdown at Maglio Gymnasium in Metuchen on January 7th. It is often said that a dunk is only two points. However, like a defensive charge, it can be a huge momentum charger, and in the case of these two examples, Tyree’s dunks were game changers.

St. Joseph’s Bree Tyree launched into orbit for a eye-popping two handed jam in the first quarter against Notre Dame in the 2016 Non-Public A South Semifinals on March 8th in Metuchen. The dunk was waived off, but it still provided the Falcons a much needed spark in a 98-69 win.

Even Tyree’s dunk that was waived off in the first quarter of St. Joseph’s win over Notre Dame in the Non-Public A South Semifinals on March 8 was a huge game changer. Combined with the two dunks by teammate Tyus Battle, turned a game that had Notre Dame hanging with the Falcons into an up and down, head spinning game that the Irish would eventually succumb to. Tyree also had two huge dunks that helped fuel 18-5 rally that the Falcons had in the fourth quarter to overcome a 55-42 deficit to tie St. Augustine’s in the Non-Public A South Championship at Jackson Liberty High School on March 10th.

St. Joseph’s Bree Tyree skies above the rim for an empathic one handed slam late in the first half in a 79-46 victory over St. John Vianney of Holmdel in the 2016 Non-Public A South Quarterfinals on March 5th in Metuchen.

Tyree’s dunks could also provide an exclamation point to a St. Joseph’s run. In the 2016 NJSIAA Non-Public A South Quarterfinals against 8th seeded St. John Vianney of Holmdel, Tyree skied for a one handed dunk that not only brought the house down, but capped a 27-9 outburst by the Falcons that turned what had been an 8-8 tie midway through the first period into a 35-17 advantage with a little over two minutes to play in the first half. Tyree also had two other dunks in the second half including a two handed reverse jam that put a bow on the 79-46 victory over Vianney.

Dunking was the most electrifying part of Tyree’s game, but he also could be a great shooter and playmaker. In that same win against Vianney, Tyree had 23 points in the first half alone, and finished with 35 in the contest including five threes. In addition, Tyree collected 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block. Basketball is not the only sport that Tyree has excelled in. He has also demonstrated tremendous ability in other sports such as football, lacrosse, and even soccer. Tyree became the fifth player from the 2013-14 St. Joseph’s squad to commit to an NCAA D1 school when he signed with Mississippi in November.

Tyree leads an impressive pack of dunkers from around the Greater Middlesex Conference this season. Here they are in the 2016 GMC Hoops All Dunk City Team.

2016 GMC Hoops All Dunk City Team

First Team

  • Bree Tyree–St. Joseph’s*
  • Tyus Battle–St. Joseph’s
  • Jahsim Floyd–Sayreville
  • Marlon Hart–Spotswood
  • Eric Savage–South Brunswick
  • Mike Vick–East Brunswick

*GMC Hoops Dunker of the Year

Second Team

  • Alanzo Frink–St. Joseph’s
  • Addis Ralph–East Brunswick
  • Ryan O’Leary–Sayreville
  • German Pimentel–Piscataway Tech
  • Eric Dadika–Spotswood
  • J.T. Vento–Spotswood

Third Team

  • Emmanuel Osei–New Brunswick
  • Jemar Jordan–Carteret
  • Kush Patel–J.F. Kennedy
  • Jake Robel–Middlesex
  • Javon Fisher–Perth Amboy Tech
  • Jose Genao–Perth Amboy