June and July

Tyson Sharper was in uniform for Riverwood competing on center court. The GBCA Live Period hosted many of the top teams from within Georgia while dozens of college coaches from across the country were there to watch.

It did not end in June. It stretched into July playing with the Georgia Canes. Two more live period events with dozens more college coaches watching. Then a run to the OTR Circuit Championship Game capped a 2026 summer run.

He said playing with Riverwood and the GA Canes this past June and July “was the most fun I ever had playing basketball.”

It Started Differently

As a freshman, he played at Holy Innocents, another prestigious basketball program in the city. He called his time there “valuable,” because it taught him how to play a role and be within a system.

He played behind incredible talent such as Caleb Wilson (Chicago Bulls), Devin Hutcherson (Kansas State), and Kingston Whitty (North Carolina State) that took the spotlight and the playing time. And deservedly so.

Tyson said, “I’m a playmaker, so even when I don’t have the ball in my hands, I know I can still impact the game by moving without the ball, creating space, and keeping the defense moving. But when the game gets close, or when my team hasn’t gotten a good shot or scored in a while, I know it’s time for me to take control. That’s when I want the ball in my hands so I can create opportunities for my teammates or create a shot for myself, or simply get our team going again. I feel responsible for making something happen when my team needs it. It doesn’t feel good when I can’t be that.”

Tyson’s father, Charles Sharper, explains, “It is imperative that young point guards are given the opportunity to play through mistakes and learn from them. Developing the position requires experience, confidence, and freedom to make decisions in real game situations. That opportunity can ultimately be the difference between a player reaching his/her potential and playing college basketball—or never fully developing into the player he could have become.”

A New Start

Riverwood needed someone to run the team. Tyson needed a place that would let him. He joined a team with eight seniors but was quickly voted a team captain by his teammates.

Coming out of a state championship in 2024, coach Buck Jenkins needed his next playmaker to lead the Raiders into their next chapter.

Tyson said, “Coach Buck and the Riverwood coaching staff put confidence in me, gave me the freedom to make decisions with the ball, and encouraged me to become more of a playmaker.”

He played 20 games and averaged 12 points and six assists as a junior, but he still needed to find the right match for the summer.

Charles mentions Tyson’s brief time with AOT as being critical. He said Tyson’s training with Omar Cooper at the point guard position was valuable. But it would be with AE5 where Tyson thought this past summer would be spent with.

Charles explains, “Tyson later had a strong tryout with AE5. Coach Martel told me Tyson played well, but because he had already committed to other players, Tyson would likely be sixth man in the rotation. Instead, Coach Martel offered to call the Georgia Canes, believing they could provide a better opportunity for him.”

Tyson joined the Canes during the spring in time for the first live period and built momentum.

Tyson said, “When I got to the Georgia Canes, I felt welcomed from day one. Coach Medlock trusted me and gave me the opportunity to start right away, and I never came off the bench.”

Coach Donte Medlock said, “His willingness to defend and compete 94 feet stood out immediately. As his confidence grew, he showed his ability to take hard coaching, run the team, make plays, and show up in big moments.”

Coming out of the live period he took that same game to the SHR Summer Showcase. Keith Agran wrote that “perhaps the best all-around day came from 2027 Riverwood guard Tyson Sharper,” who “bullied smaller guys, guarded 3 positions, handled it, and played off the ball.”

Finish the Job

His senior year at Riverwood holds promise. Coaches have called. There is no set plan for next year. That part is scary and exciting at the same time.

Tyson earned an offer from Shaw University earlier this year, but the coach then left for another job. Central Arkansas’s John Shulman has stayed in touch and wants to see how the senior season plays out.

He says, “I’m looking for a place where I feel welcomed, where the coaches believe in me… I know I’m going to make mistakes… I want to be somewhere that will continue to believe in me and help me grow through the process.”

Coach Medlock said, “Whatever program Tyson chooses, they aren’t just getting a good basketball player. They are getting a high-character young man who is willing to work, learn, compete, and represent their program the right way.”

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Jonathan Hemingway is a senior writer for On the Radar Hoops. He has covered basketball for the site since 2013 and has been involved in the game since 1995 as a coach, camp director, and evaluator. Reach him at CoachHemi@gmail.com or follow @CoachHemi on X and @Coach_Hemi on Instagram.