The name Tyree Gaiter will always be synonymous with Notre Dame College basketball.
"I think the first time I met Tyree I obviously noticed his lack of height, but that quickly went out the window the first open gym that we had, "former NDC great Will Vorhees exclaimed. "I don't remember specifics but he was just doing what Tyree does, and that's being dynamic with the basketball so I knew he was going to be our go to guy. Tyree was always someone who not only led by example, but also was a great verbal leader. I just remember him always holding us accountable and not accepting poor play/poor effort, "Vorhees added.
"Tyree was a team captain for many reasons. His basketball IQ was one of the best that I ever got to play alongside. He always motivated people to go hard in practice and better each other by competing. His desire to win resonated with the team which I believe increased everybody's motivation. Undoubtedly he held the team together, "former NDC backcourt mate Ryan Hickoff explained.
Vorhees added this about Gaiter:
"I think his stop and go speed is incredible, along with his IQ for the game. An automatic pull-up jump shot, great leadership and a will to win are what separates him from most. Tyree's ability to get to the rim was not only impressive but he was huge for me as he created dum-offs so I could get 6-10 points a game without really working for them, just being in the right spot and catching the ball was enough. It got a lot harder after he left that's for sure."
Hickoff talked about Gaiter's ability to take over a game:
"Ty always dominates games. All from shooting lights out to making great passes to his teammates.
Ty was such a great teammate because he always wanted what was best for the team and pushed his teammates to become better. He was always a leader from his first day with NDC to his last. He always made the right play, and his talent was truly amazing to watch. He always played with a lot of emotion, was always determined to win, and made sure to get his teammates involved."
All of these traits were on display in 2016 when Gaiter and the Falcons made a run to the MEC Finals. "Yes I can believe the run to the 2016 finals happened, "he said. Gaiter then continued:
"For me it was my senior year, I told myself to play with no regrets and live with the results. I wasn't able to play in the tournament my senior year of high school (at Cleveland Heights High) because of an injury. I made sure my senior year of college was different. For the team, we knew we could play with anyone. We weren't scared and we weren't going to back down from any team. Other teams in the conference never really knew what we were going to do game by game so playing on a neutral floor was good for us. Just wish that championship game would have ended a little differently."
Hickoff had this to say about that run:
"We had a great run in the MEC Tournament our last year but fell short in the championship game versus Concord. We beat Fairmont State and Wheeling who were both ranked in the top five in the country at the time. There are for sure regrets about falling short in the MEC Finals. We wanted to get a ring badly and that was the last chance to get one for Ty, my brothers, and me. Things just didn't go our way that game and Concord played better than us. We felt we were the better team that year and I think everyone wished we could play that game over."
Vorhees had the same sentiments:
"Unfortunately, what I remember most about the 2016 MEC Tournament is losing to Concord in the Championship Game after beating two way better teams the previous two nights. I do remember Tyree being phenomenal in those games though as a veteran leader of a young team."
Vorhees talked about a skill that Gaiter had that not many do:
"Tenacity was the thing that Tyree brought. No matter what type of shooting game he was having he was gonna keep coming at you and find different ways to score.
Although he may not have known it at the time, his time at NDC and specifically playing for Head Coach Tim Koenig and Assistant Coach Tim Baab would kickstart his coaching career."
Gaiter talked about how instrumental Coach Koenig and Coach Baab were in helping him find his career path:
"What made the coaches at NDC unique was that they trusted me with the freedom to make decisions for the team and taught me how to always trust my teammates. The role that TK and Coach Baab played for me was that they allowed me to help with in game decisions, and also be the leader for the team. That was the starter for me into my coaching career."
Hickoff told me that he met Gaiter at orientation in the summer of 2012 before their freshman year. "We shared some stories and our shared excitement to start playing for NDC together. I knew right then and there he was going to be a great teammate."
Gaiter looked back at his four years in South Euclid:
"I put in a lot of time to enhance my craft in the game of basketball while at NDC. I didn't go into college with the mindset of breaking records, I had the mindset to work hard. Having great teammates made it possible for me to be successful with breaking many of the school records, in addition to breaking the assists and steals record."
Hickoff told me that practices were most always intense and the team competed hard daily.
"Our team was full of talent, which made practices great. You couldn't take a day off because someone else would take it to you. Sometimes things got heated, scrappy, and emotions were tested all which made us a better team."
Vorhees chimed in:
"We were a young team and everyone was fighting for time, so practices were very competitive. I remember multiple instances when coaches had to step in and separate guys but that kind of intensity is what builds great teams."
Gaiter talked about what it was like to play with the 2019 MEC and NCAA DII Player Of The Year as well as a key cog in the 2016 tournament run:
"It was great playing with Will. It made my job easy and I made his job easy. Whether it was a pick and roll or pick and pop, when you have a guard and a big that can score from anywhere on the floor it provides a lot of matchup problems for teams. Deion (DeArmond) and I had instant chemistry, two guards that could flat out play. You knew that you would see 20+ points on the scoreboard from at least two guys most nights."
Hickoff continued with his praise for Gaiter:
"Ty and I played together all four years. It was a privilege to see his game evolve over time. He was always a playmaker, so I think his basketball IQ and strength increased a lot over time.
There was always a potential to go deep during our time playing at NDC. We had a lot of talent each year. We were transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II during our first year. The MEC was one of the best conferences in the country so any team we played was a battle. I think we played well at home because of our fanbase and how loud it got in our gym. We fed off of that.
Trying to find that momentum push in opposing gyms was difficult for us the first few years of playing on the road."
Gaiter talked about how the MEC differs from when he played:
"The biggest difference between the MEC now and back then was the size and length of each team. For me it seemed every team in the conference had close to three or more six foot seven and above players on the team. From athletic wings to big centers I don't see too many teams with multiple players this size currently."
Gaiter had this to say about who he idolized as a kid:
"I have a bunch of players that I idolized as a kid. I could name a bunch but my favorite two were the G.O.A.T Michael Jordan and "The Answer" Allen Iverson.
Gaiter told me that he keeps in contact with many of his former NDC teammates to this day as they play fantasy football together. He also said he follows NDC hoops when he can. Since coaching takes up so much of his time.
Gaiter played overseas and talked about that experience:
"Playing in Bourdeaux, France was a great experience. I was able to learn and witness how the world is different in Europe. The way they live their daily lives, experiencing the different foods and playing the game of basketball will all be memories that I will keep forever. In the beginning everything was so new but I was always able to adjust quickly to their customs. In basketball their style of play can be more physical at times, but the pace of the game is much slower. As my mom and grandmother always say, "Never give up, the sky is the limit."
Hickoff gave the final thought:
"Ty's ability to take over a game amazed me most about his game. When the game was on the line we always trusted Tyree with the ball in his hands."
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