Newsom to William & Mary
Last week, it was announced that St. Luke’s star guard Tyler Newsom would be taking his talents to William & Mary following his senior season this upcoming school year.
A Connecticut native, Newsom began his high school career at Masuk High School in Monroe. It was there that he made a name for himself as one of the top underclassmen in the CIAC before eventually transferring to play for his dad, Tony, in the NEPSAC.
To kick things off, the guard wanted to thank those who have helped him along his journey: “I’d definitely like to begin with thanking the lord for allowing me these blessings, as well as a huge thank you to my parents for their relentless efforts in helping me achieve my dreams and goals.”
He continued, “I also have to mention the amazing village that I have within my friends. They’ve been a huge factor in pushing me towards success throughout my high school career. All of the workouts, one-on-ones, and conditioning sessions were the building blocks I needed to create a strong foundation in my game.”
While he was already a local standout, it was last summer that the 6'5" guard really saw both his recruitment and his game take the next step.
At Peach Jam, he made a name for himself playing with the New York Lightning 16U team, averaging 20.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game against some of the top competition in the country.
In talks with the William & Mary commit, here’s what he had to say about that summer: “Last summer, I had to learn a lot of lessons as well as face some challenges,” he stated.
“Many people didn’t realize that throughout that blow-up, I was playing with a broken shooting wrist. I had to make a lot of changes to make sure I could still impact the game as much as possible,” he continued.
Without the confidence, or bluntly, the ability to have a clean release on the ball because of a broken wrist, Newsom took it in stride and used the setback to develop other areas of his game: “I learned how to get downhill, rebound both offensively and defensively, and be elite in being both a help side and on-ball defender.”
With those high-level reps allowing him to focus on different parts of his game, one thing stood out to him: “The most important thing I prided myself in was getting in the best shape I could. My condition went a long way for me throughout that summer.”
From July through December, Newsom earned scholarship offers from Boston University, Lafayette, Marist, Northeastern, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Siena, and William & Mary.
Now established as a bona fide Division I prospect, Newsom began to thrive, especially after his wrist had fully healed. This past school year, he averaged 20.7 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. He also earned All-NEPSAC Class B Small and All-FAA First Team honors.
He finished up this summer playing with his local MHC squad, the New Haven Heat, for the July live sessions.
Last week, Newsom wrapped up his recruitment by announcing his commitment to head coach Brian Earl and the William & Mary Tribe.
Newsom had this to say about his decision: “I felt like William & Mary had a plan and vision for me to succeed that was similar to my own. The fast-paced scoring style in combination with their high usage of big guards was a large contributor to my decision”, said Newsom.
“The staff made many efforts to make me feel comfortable with my choice, and the additions of brand new facilities and the resources on campus made me feel like I have everything I need to succeed at the next level,” he finished.
Coach Earl comes to the Tribe following a seven-year stint in the Ivy League at Cornell. Through his first two years in the CAA, he has compiled a 37-27 record with back-to-back winning seasons.
In Newsom, Earl gets a big guard who has proven his resilience over the years while impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Before that, though, Newsom has one more year to suit up for his dad at St. Luke’s School.
Tyler Newsom