O.C. Insider: The scoop on Mater Dei's Tyler Lamb

The Scoop On: Mater Dei’s Tyler Lamb

The Basics: 6-foot-5, 192 pounds, Junior, Guard

How he did in Saturday's game vs. Gahr: Lamb, who has committed to UCLA, scored 18 points in 18 minutes on the floor. He had four assists, two steals, two rebounds and three turnovers.

Aside from a 3-pointer and free throw, Lamb scored all his points on lay-ups, off drives and fastbreaks. His most eye-popping play was a fastbreak assist, bouncing the ball backward between his legs to Travis Wear. Later, Lamb was too polite to dunk, leaping above the rim and merely dropping the ball in, off a fastbreak.

The New Guy: Lamb is the only new entry in the Monarchs’ starting five. He is a first-year transfer from Colony High in Ontario.

Fun Mater Dei Family Fact: As high school seniors, Lamb’s uncle Clarence and father, Terrance, started at guard for Bishop Amat in 1988. Their team beat Mater Dei twice that season and won the Angelus League title. That’s the only year in the Gary McKnight coaching era that the Monarchs have not won league.

Weird Family Fact: Clarence and Terrance are about 5-11, and they weighed 150 pounds when they played in high school, Lamb said. Lamb’s mother is 5-foot. Lamb, at 6-5, believes he is still growing.

McKnight praises Lamb: “Tyler’s a scoring machine. He averaged more as a sophomore, but he’s still always in double figures with us. … Definitely a great attitude.”

McKnight disses Lamb: “He’s not very good at ping-pong.”

Quick Evaluation: From what I’m told, he’s not very good at ping-pong. Lamb is very good at basketball. He tends to score off the dribble but can drain an outside shot. He’s an excellent athlete and an active defender.

Defense? We talking about defense?: Lamb learned the game from Clarence and Terrance. He learned defense from Mater Dei assistant Jason Quinn. A few months ago.
 
“I’m old school,” Lamb says. Before this season, “I didn’t really play much defense at all.”

Lamb’s role this year - cover the opponent’s top offensive threat.

His former mentality:“Get the ball, score more than the other team.”

His new mentality:“Get stops all the time.”

In practice, the starters do not get an offensive possession until they stop the reserves on defense - three or four times.

UCLA preview: Lamb and fellow Bruin commit Kendall Williams (a point guard from Los Osos) have spent summer days in Westwood, playing in pick-up games with NBA players, including Ricky Davis, Eric Gordon and Mike Dunleavy Jr.

“It’s definitely tough. I just pick and choose my spots,” Lamb said. “I maintain myself well.”

Lamb on school: “At Colony, there weren’t a lot of people that had goals after high school. At Mater Dei, I walk around and see, ‘He’s going to Oklahoma State to play baseball; he’s going to USC to play football …’ ”

Lamb on basketball: Lamb started playing at age 5. Clarence, the uncle, was his first coach. Clarence and Terrance put him in a league with 7- and 8-year olds.

“I was weaker than everyone else, so I had to play hard all the time.”

He would follow them to the park on Sunday mornings and watch them play. He’d hone his own skills in the front yard and back yard, with family and neighbors.

What did he inherit from Clarence and Terrance?

“The love for basketball. I definitely picked that up from them. Basketball is a family sport.”

Wasn’t that a beautiful comment? Read it again: “Basketball is a family sport.”

Contact the writer: jkay@ocregister.com