Laurinburg, N.C.--Auburn has picked up its first verbal commitment for the 2007-2008 freshman men’s basketball class from 6-9, 225 power forward Tyrell Lynch from Niagara Falls, N.Y.
He is currently playing basketball at Laurinburg Institute, a prep school. He transferred to that school recently after initially enrolling at The Patterson School, another prep school in North Carolina.
Lynch, who has already taken an official visit to Auburn, is expected to sign in the early period this month.
"Auburn is a program on the rise and I feel like I can come in and contribute right away," Lynch tells Inside the Auburn Tigers. "It is a great coaching staff. Coach Johnson (assistant coach Brandon Johnson) did a great job of recruiting me as well as Coach Lebo (head coach Jeff Lebo). Coach Lebo is a great coach.
"I also like the people at Auburn," he adds. "They are great people there and I my family likes them a lot and my coaches like them, too."
With Auburn looking for help with the inside game, the opportunity to play early for the Tigers was a big influence on his decision, Lynch notes.
An All-State player in high school, he averaged 18 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots as a senior.
Lynch’s AAU coach, Jeff Bishop, announced that his former player will sign with the Tigers. “They liked his athleticism and his versatility,” Bishop said. “Tyrell liked the fact that they stuck in his corner from the beginning. It’s a great fit.”
Auburn now has one scholarship spot available for next year’s signee class.
“He is a good player,” said Patterson School head coach Chris Chaney. “He is 6-8 or 6-9. He is very long, very active. He has got a lot of potential. He is definitely not a project. His potential is unlimited because of how he runs and because he defends well. I think he will be a real good player. I think he is definitely leaning toward Auburn.”
Lynch is a prospect who drew a lot of recruiting attention from major programs while playing for Niagara Falls High and for the GC Ballers AAU team. However, a year of prep school was needed to work on his academics. He has been recruited by Syracuse, Purdue, Georgia Tech, Buffalo, Siena, Pitt, St. Bonaventure, Kansas State, Iowa State and other colleges.
Chaney notes that Lynch is a power forward who weighs in the 220-pound range. “He rebounds well and is very tough and very aggressive,” the coach says.
Chaney coached the national champion prep team two seasons ago at Laurinburg Institute, a team that went 40-0 with current Auburn player Quantez Robertson on the roster.
Lynch notes that he made the switch to Laurinburg because it was a better opportunity to fit his style of play. The power forward says he is on track academically to join the Tigers for the 2007-2008 season. "I will be a qualifier," he says.
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