Tyus Battle is used to this. He knows the pressure that comes with being a top recruit, and that’s what makes him so determined. “A lot of people have considered me as one of the top players in the country since I was a kid. So, I‘ve been dealing with the stuff for a while,” Battle says. “I really don’t focus on the rankings or the media. I just try to focus on my game and the people around me. I just play my game everytime I step on the floor.”

Battle, a Syracuse commit, has been recruited by colleges for his entire high school career, is definitely glad to have the stress of the recruiting process behind him, and a future at Syracuse forthcoming.

 

    Born on September 23, 1997 in Wayne New Jersey, Battle grew up with the dream of one day playing college basketball, and now he has that chance. “At Syracuse, I want to develop my game and hopefully bring home another national championship. It looked like they had a chance to do it this year,” the 6’6”,185lb shooting guard stated. “Hopefully, I can help keep the Syracuse tradition going and play great basketball when I step on the court.”

After a senior season that saw him win Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of New Jersey, Battle showed critics that he is fully recovered from the ankle injury that hampered him for most of his Junior season. “Definitely, my toughest obstacle was the injury that I had last year. That played a factor on me, mentally and physically.”

 

As much as it may have hurt to miss the majority of his Junior year, it looks like it was for the best, as it helped him learn a lot more about his mental game. “Recovery took a lot of time. I read a lot of books on Sports Psychology, making my mental game much better,” he said. “It helped me in seeing that you have to do the little things like icing and stretching after games because without your body, you can’t play a sport. It really helped me see different things on the court, and I think it really helped me see things that I need to see when I play.”

Throughout his high school career, Battle has shown to be very mature, which can largely be attributed to his early recruitment. “I feel like, when you get that much attention early, you mature much faster than most high school kids. You just have to be more mature and make smarter decisions, which really helped me grow up faster than a lot of my friends.” the athlete said.

Battle’s new and improved mentality translated into his senior year, and now, it is apparent that along with fellow Syracuse commit, Matthew Moyer, Orange fans should be optimistic about the team’s future.

 

    After a revival during his senior season, Tyus Battle is prepared to face the hefty expectations that come with being a star recruit in the ACC conference, but it was just a year ago that he was planning on playing in the Big 10 with the Michigan Wolverines. However, by June he reconsidered his decision and reopened his recruitment. Even with the judgement that Battle received from fans on his decommitment, Battle has always embraced the recruiting process, saying, “With the recruiting process, you have to try and enjoy it as much as possible. I enjoyed it, visiting different schools, going to meet new people, different coaches and players from other schools. It’s just an experience that you’ll never get back.”

 

    From injuries to his decommitment from Michigan, Tyus Battle has faced every challenge with his head held high, leaving Syracuse fans all across the country clamoring over his immense potential. He is surely a player to know about going into the 2016-2017 NCAA season. In spite of all the hardships, Tyus Battle is “Battling the Pressure".