Pilots Sign Center Philipp Hartwich and Guard D'Marques Tyson and to NLI's

Video Feature

PORTLAND, Ore. --- University of Portland men's basketball has signed two incoming freshmen to National Letters of Intent, head coach Eric Reveno announced on Thursday. Guard D'Marques Tyson, a Bothell, Wash. native who played his senior season for Quality Education Academy in North Carolina, and center Philipp Hartwich, a 7-0 center from Germany, have signed NLI's and will join the Pilots for the 2014-15 season.

The duo joins previously signed Northwest recruits Jason Todd (Mill Creek, Wash./Jackson HS) and Gabe Taylor (Portland, Ore./Valley Catholic School) as members of the 2014 recruiting class.

D'Marques Tyson (6-6, 198) was named the Most Valuable Player of the Greater Carolina High School Athletic Association in his only season at Quality Education Academy (QEA). It is the same conference that produced current Pilot freshman point guard Alec Wintering. Tyson, an elite three-point shooter, averaged 18.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. He was named to the All-Northwest North Carolina Team by the Winston-Salem Journal and also earned All-Tournament honors at the Charlotte Hoops Challenge.

QEA was ranked as high as No. 12 nationally during the season and knocked off powerhouse Oak Hill Academy early in the year. Tyson came off the bench to drain four three-pointers and score a game-high 18 points in the win. He then was moved into the starting lineup on a talent-rich team that is expecting to send all six graduating seniors to the Division I level, according to head coach Issac Pitts. 

"D'Marques is a pure shooter," Pitts noted. "But unlike a lot of shooters, he can also really guard on defense. I have never seen a kid that can shoot the ball so well that can also guard you. He also has a great basketball IQ." 

Tyson began his prep career at Lakeside High School in Seattle, Wash. where he led Lakeside to a 21-5 record and the 3A State Championship game as a junior in 2013. He was named First Team All-Metro Conference after averaging 15.1 points per game as a junior and was third team all-league as a sophomore. He played varsity all three seasons at Lakeside and was team captain junior year.

"D'Marques has good size and can play multiple positions," Reveno said. "He is a really good shooter and you can never have enough of that in your program. Being able to get Northwest kids is a priority and D'Marques is a great fit here at Portland."

Philipp Hartwich (7-0, 215) is a native of Cologne, Germany and has been playing competitive basketball for the last three seasons after a highly successful stint as a National Team Handball player in the German youth system. Athletic for his size, Hartwich has played two years for RheinStars Koln at the NBBL U19 level and with the club's senior men's team.

Hartwich averaged 9.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per game while shooting 64 from the field this season. He was selected to participate in the NBBL (U19) All-Star Game. Hartwich was called up to the senior team later in the year and worked his way into a starting role.

"Philipp is a tremendous athlete for his size," Reveno said. "He already has the ability to run the floor, finish with both hands, and to be a defensive presence in the paint. As an elite-level team handball player he exhibited great work ethic and toughness. Philipp has shown an amazing aptitude for learning the game of basketball and a passion for the game over the last couple of years. We are excited to help Philipp become the best player he can be and see his impact here on The Bluff."

The Pilots are graduating four seniors from a 2013-14 team that finished 15-16 overall and tied for sixth in the West Coast Conference standings. The team loses leading rebounder and third leading scorer Ryan Nicholas, but returns four starters and seven of eight leading scorers.