SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine—Tyree Bitjoka is this month’s male student-athlete spotlight, a freshman guard for the SeaWolves Men’s Basketball program.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Tyree was a 2019 graduate of South Portland High School. A three-sport varsity contributor in basketball, soccer, and track and field, Tyree was voted Southwestern Maine Activities Association (SMAA) Basketball Defensive Player of the Year and selected to the honorable mention team his senior season. In addition, Tyree received the Red Riots’ team MVP honors and Most Coachable Award in the same year.
Tyree explained his commitment to SMCC was made official by the recruiting efforts of the men’s basketball staff who were highly engaged from the start in supporting his success at the next level. Tyree says, “Everything just clicked right away. My relationships with players and coaches are all so positive—everyone has each other’s back.”
“Coach Richards has had a really impactful influence in my life in just the short period I have attended SMCC. He pushes me to be my best self on and off the basketball court. That is what defines my experience as a student-athlete thus far—it’s bigger than basketball.” A duel major in Business Administration and Sport Management, Tyree intends to obtain his associate degree at the college and transfer for his bachelor’s degree with the intention of becoming a business owner in the future. “The most important thing for me is to love what I am doing.” In his spare time, Tyree enjoys video blogging on his YouTube channel.
Tyree expressed that his mom and his grandparents have been the constants in his life, “They want to see me succeed and I want to make them proud.”
Men’s Basketball finished 21-9 overall, 12-4 in Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC) play. The SeaWolves concluded their season with an at-large bid to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Div. 2 National Championships to feature a win in the opening round. Tyree played in 22 games in his rookie season, averaging 5.9 min/g.
Quick Facts:
Celebrity crush? Zendaya
Netflix or Disney Plus? Disney Plus
Favorite flavor? Blue Raspberry
One word to describe yourself? Confident
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