Tyree Anthony may not show up on the top of the scouting reports for opponents of the East Lansing basketball team.
But Trojan coach Ray Mitchell knows the capabilities of his talented sophomore guard.
And in a recent conversation, Mitchell told Anthony that now is the time to step up his game.
Anthony did that Tuesday, March 10, while helping East Lansing to a 72-60 victory over Ann Arbor Pioneer in a Division 1 quarterfinal at Don Johnson Fieldhouse.
Anthony had 15 points, which included 11 in the opening half. He knocked down three 3-pointers while being one of three East Lansing players in double figures.
“I feel like I had to step up,” Anthony said while surrounded by teammates. “It was a big game, (a) big environment. I just had to do what I could do.”
Anthony, who is the younger brother of former East Lansing football star and Division I receiver Andrel Anthony, has scored in double figures in three of the five state tournament games for the Trojans, which included scoring 13 points in a district final win over Waverly and 11 points in a regional semifinal victory over Kalamazoo Loy Norrix.
“That’s what we expect of him,” Mitchell said. “He can do that night in and night out. He’s been a really unselfish team player, but now we need him to score a little bit more.”
The recent performances have been part of the growth by Anthony, who got a late start to basketball this winter because of groin and hip injuries suffered in football. Anthony quickly worked his way into the starting lineup because of his defensive abilities and Mitchell said he’s a valuable piece for the Trojans as they try to capture a second straight state championship this week.
East Lansing faces Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice in a state semifinal at 2 p.m. Friday, March 13, at MSU’s Breslin Center. With a win, the Trojans would play for the Division 1 crown at 12:15 p.m. Saturday.
“He kind of complements our lineup because he can check and he’s a big guard and he can score and he can play the point,” Mitchell said. “He’s a glue guy and he’s going to be a really good player for us now and in the future.”
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and Bluesky @briancalloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Sophomore Tyree Anthony surging for East Lansing boys basketball
Reporting by Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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