41 Action News and Hy-Vee are three-fourths of the way through this year's Athlete of the Week campaign. Blue Valley senior guard Tyler Geiman may be one of the best and most underrated candidates awarded this year.
It's certainly hard to argue his talent level given the season that he's had: 25 points and almost nine assists per game. He continued that trend in stellar performances over the last week-plus.
Geiman averaged 28.4 points per game in the last five games. (32 points vs. St. James Academy, 32 points vs. Gardner-Edgerton, 22 points vs. Barstow, 32 points vs. Lawrence Free State, 24 points vs. Pembroke Hill).
"He's had a phenomenal season thus far. But, he's really been doing it his whole career," said Tigers boys basketball coach Dwight Williams. "It's nice for him to get some light and some attention because he's averaging pretty close to nine assists a game. And, not a lot of people talk about how many assists he averages a game."
Tyler Geiman is your new all-time assists record holder! Congrats @tylergeiman pic.twitter.com/EASY954iwn
— BV Tiger Print (@bvtigernews) January 28, 2017
Last week in the game versus St. James Academy, Geiman broke Blue Valley's all-time assists record. However, he knows that his success is not just about what he does on the court, but how his other teammates help him out on the court.
"Our team has played well this last week. So, that kind of helps me when we're all playing well," Geiman said. "My shot's been falling and so have my teammates [shots as well]. When we're all hitting, that really gets us going. And, when my three is going down, that seems to like pick up everything for me."
To overtime we go, tied at 63-63. Tyler Geiman with the buzzer beater for Blue Valley. pic.twitter.com/v7ZGlVvuUn
— Shane Jackson (@SJacksonLJW) January 21, 2017
Coach Williams knows his point guard is extremely talented. But, what he's happiest with is for Tyler to be an extension of him out there on the floor.
"I've known Tyler now for four years. He's been playing on varsity for four years," Dwight said. "He and I are very close. During games, he comes over and gives me ideas, tells me things that are happening on the court that I don't always see. He's a coach on the court."
Geiman's ascension to one of the best players in the Kansas City metro all seems to come from hard work. He was the Eastern Kansas League Player of the Year in 2016. He's helped the Tigers get off to a 10-3 start this season. And, he's already getting some collegiate basketball attention. According to 247 Sports, Tyler already has one Division 1 offer on the table from Central Arkansas out of the Southland Conference. But other schools have shown interest as well.
"I have a few D-1 schools that have talked to me like Creighton has talked to me a little bit," Geiman said. "And then, I have like Division 2 [schools recruiting me]. Northwest Missouri has offered and Washburn. William Jewell has offered me. I'd say whatever is the right fit and whatever feels right. And, I've gotta love the school if I'm gonna go there, and the right system to play in."
NOTE: The Hy-Vee 41 Five-Star Athlete of the Week segment airs every Thursday night during the 10 p.m. sportscast for the entire school year.
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