In the modern game of basketball, we often find players all attempting to become a guard, so it is quite refreshing to see a back to the basket player who is very true to his identity. Cyprian Hyde is a six foot ten inches big with a very long frame. Hyde understands his strengths, and he has a variety of hooks, quick turnarounds, and combined with a soft touch around the basket, this creates for a very dominant force on the block. Hyde has a very long wingspan that speaks to his defensive versatility, he is able to be a disrupting factor as a help defender, and his mobility allows him to guard smaller players on the perimeter while using his length to bother shots. On the offensive side, his shooting ability allows him to be a pop threat in the pick-and-roll, as well as being a floor spacer. However, what impressed me the most about his game is that he has great hands. He has soft hands that allow him to catch passes and grab rebounds over defenders, often resulting in a powerful slam. I had the opportunity to interview one of the top players in not only in San Diego but in Southern California!
Interview Q and A:
1. For those who don’t know you, can you give a brief summary about who you are and where you have played at? "I’m Cyprian Hyde; I’m 17-years old and live in Oceanside, CA. I’m also the 6’10” big man at Vista High where I will play my entire 4 years of high school!"
2. Outside of basketball, what are you passionate about? What do you spend time doing? "I like riding my bike down the San Luis Rey River trail to the beach and back (14 miles), collecting basketball cards, and watching shows about crime mysteries and other investigations (I plan to study criminology in college)."
3. What is your recruitment process like, which schools are recruiting you the hardest? "After my freshman year, Coach Legans made me an offer to play at Eastern Washington, then towards the end of my sophomore year he moved to Portland and extended an offer again. I’ve taken an unofficial visit and have my first official visit planned for Portland June 27–28! At the beginning of my junior year, Coach Riley from Eastern Washington also gave me an offer to play for him. I’ve taken an unofficial visit and they also want me back for an official visit. I’ve taken several other unofficial visits to Cal Baptist, San Diego, Seattle, and UC Irvine and have had about 50 other schools reach out to one degree or another but only Coach Legs and Riley have made me offers and prioritized me." 4. You had a great year this past season, what was that experience like for you? "I had a solid season individually, but we struggled as a team. Hopefully all those struggles will be worth it as we come out this year knowing we have to buy-in as a team and compete at a higher level."
5. Which games and memories stand out to you the most from this past season? "Definitely our two league games versus Carlsbad. Listening to their fans and all their hype just motivated me to dominate. The first game I had one of my 20+ points & 20+ rebounds games and the other I missed only 1 shot and scored about 25. The other game the stood out was our first round playoff versus La Jolla Country Day. They ended up making the D1 finals and we were the 13th seed. My point guard and I scored all but 2 of our team’s points and we had them until the very end!" 6. Who was the toughest player or team you have played against in your career thus far? "Justin Bodo of Southern California Academy. We’ve had some great physical battles at Pangos events." 7. Who is the most talented player you have played with so far? "On my club, my teammate since 8th grade, Jaden “Shloop” Matingou. He can do it all." 8. Where do you play your AAU ball, and how did they help you along your journey? "I’ve played for GamePoint ever since I started AAU at the very end of 12U. All the coaches have been dedicated to my development physically and mentally and Charlie Mercado and my high school coach, Anthony Bolton, get in extra workouts, extra shooting on the machine, opening the gym whenever I need, and being there for me in all the ups and downs." 9. What are you looking for when committing to a college? "My “Big 3” is simple: 1) A coach who believes in me and wants to get me better every day. 2) Great academic support because I know the transition from high school to college is tough and I know after I’m done playing, it’s my education that I’ll rely on the rest of my life 3) A coach and school that will enable me to grow in my faith both on and off campus. Being a part of a church on Sundays to worship is a priority for me." 10. Which player or team are you looking forward the most to playing against next year? "I have a “hit list”, but I’m keeping that to myself!" 11. What was your favorite NBA team and player growing up? "The Cavs and Lebron."
12. What are you looking to improve on and show scouts/coaches that you have improved on going into your senior season? "They know I can post with both hands and shoot 3s, so it’s just the little things I hope stand out: physicality, intensity, energy, body language."
13. What is your end goal for basketball? "I love basketball, so I my goal is to play pro somewhere and play as long as I can." 14. What do you think is the most valuable skill in basketball? "If there’s one thing Coach Ant (Anthony Bolton) has instilled in me, it’s talking on defense."
15. What makes you unique from other basketball players? "I love running the floor, coming out and guarding ball handlers on screens, and hitting pick & pop threes as a big, but one college coach told me “there’s a lot of money to be made in the paint” so I’m good with being old school and living in the paint."
16. What is your schedule like right now as you prepare for next year? "April–May was GamePoint, June is Vista, and July is GamePoint again. In between all those workouts, I’m with my strength & mobility coach three times a week and getting extra shooting in with my dad."
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