UConn among many suitors for Windsor’s Betsey
A quick look around Jere Quinn’s office walls reveals the tremendous success he and his St. Thomas More boys basketball program has had over the years.
Jamming nearly every square inch of wall space are photos, plaques and press clippings that celebrate more than 1,000 wins, dozens of Division 1 and NBA alumni and multiple championships over Quinn’s 43 years at the school.
It’s why he’s in the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and has been nominated for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame several times. It’s why future NBA players like Andre Drummond, Eric Paschall and Omari Spellman have played at St. Thomas More.
And it’s why Tyler Betsey is there now.
Betsey grew up in Windsor and played the past two seasons at Windsor High, averaging 23 points and six rebounds per game as a sophomore and earning GameTimeCT all-state honors.
But Betsey announced in May that he would be transferring to St. Thomas More. He had burst up from 6foot-2 to 6-foot-8 over the prior couple of years and was looking for better competition, more gym access and the stewardship of Quinn, who is so familiar with navigating the recruiting process.
“I came in his office, I see all the players on the wall, he’s been doing it for a long time,” Betsey noted. “The pictures don’t lie. I know he can do it for me, so that’s why I decided to come here.”
It was the right decision at the right time.
Quinn had heard Betsey was considered a low- to mid-major Division 1 talent. Then he had him work out for the staff shortly after he committed.
“It took me two minutes to recognize the kid has an extremely high ceiling if he wants to work and continues to make great decisions,” Quinn said.
When colleges were first allowed to contact Betsey in mid-June, he heard from schools like Illinois, Penn State, Iona, Rhode Island and, yes, UConn. Penn State and Brown offered right off the bat.
Then, a month later, came the prestigious Nike EYBL Peach Jam.
“That’s where I really blew up,” Betsey recalled.
Indiana, Alabama, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Iowa and others came into the picture. UConn made him a scholarship offer. Betsey is currently the No. 68 overall player in the Class of 2024, per 247Sports.com. He’s the No.