By SAM LANCE
KANSAS CITY — No team has been more surprising on the Nike EYBL circuit this season than the New York City Rocks. Sitting at 11-4, the program finished tied with the fourth best record heading into Peach Jam.
This is behind only the Boozer twins and Nightrydas Elite (14-1), AJ Dybantsa, Tyran Stokes and the Oakland Soldiers (14-1), and Team Takeover (14-1) — who’s lone loss comes to City Rocks. Their point differential of 115 also ranks higher than Team Takeover’s 113, ranking City Rocks third in the EYBL in that category.
The question is, how has City Rocks managed all of this success? Not one single player on the roster is ranked inside the top 125 of 247Sports class of 2025 rankings. They don’t have a big name five-star player. They don’t have the top-tier talent of the EYBL.
But they do have a point guard, a great one at that in Keyshuan Tillery. And the 6-foot-1, 185-pound guard from New Hampton School (NH) has played a huge role in the success of the program.
Through ten games of recorded stats on the EYBL circuit this summer, Tillery has posted averages of 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He’s also shot 46.8% from the field and 15-of-36 (41.6%) from 3-point range. Per the Nike EYBL full season leaderboards, Tillery ranks fourth overall in assists per game at 5.0.
Most of all, though, he’s been a consistent voice and leader on the court for City Rocks. And that has helped the special bond this team has created.
“This is a complete brotherhood,” Tillery said. “Everyone talks. We all like each other. We all compete. Even when we’re in practice, we all compete. We’re trash talking a little bit. We’re picking each other up when our heads are down. I feel like that’s the best part. Everyone supports each other. That’s the biggest piece of this team and hopefully we can keep this stretch going in Peach in July and just have a big run.”
While in Kansas City, Tillery updated his recruitment to ZAGSBLOG.com and said Northwestern, Syracuse, Florida, Villanova, Temple, Rutgers and Wyoming were the schools most in contact. Here is his breakdown of each program: Northwestern: “They just have a heavy point guard ran offense. Coach [Chris] Collins and that staff, they just trust their point guards to make the right decisions and make a lot of plays. So I feel like that’s a good school that fits my game if I were to decide there.” On coach Collins: “I have a great relationship with him, coach [Talor] Battle, like the whole staff. They connect with me. They talk with me, tell me what I need to do better. They tell me what they like about me. So it’s a good relationship.” Syracuse: “Yeah coach Dan [Engelstad], he’s knew there. He’s recruited me the most there. He’s cool. He talks about my game, he compliments me. So it’s just a good bond there. It’s a good school. It’s a great basketball school. And coach [Adrian] Autry taking over, he’s doing good so far. So it’s a good school.” Florida: “Coach [Todd] Golden, he connects with me. He’s trying to get me on a visit soon. I talk to him often. Within the past week we’ve talked a lot, so it’s been good. And that’s the Gators. That’s a great school. They produce a lot of good guards.” Villanova: “They were champs a couple years ago. They have a great offense. They just stick together. They look like a brotherhood.” On head coach Kyle Neptune: “I don’t really talk to him. I talk to coach Ashley [Howard]. So I talk to him more. But he just connects with me, compliments my game.” Temple: “The staff there is great. Coach [Bobby] Jordan. Coach [Adam] Fisher. They’re good people. They have a brotherhood, good staff. That’s a good school too.” Wyoming: “That’s coach [Nick] Whitmore. They’re just a good school and they recruit me good. Even if I don’t end up there even just the recruitment process and them showing me they want me as a player just means a lot.” Rutgers: “Coach Smoke [Marlon Williamson] reached out to me, told me he liked my game. So it’s been good.” Tillery said Northwestern has been recruiting him hardest and for the longest period of time. He took his only official visit to Northwestern during the season last year. “They’ve built a connection with me and my family, which is big time for me,” Tillery said of Northwestern. “When I was on my visit, everyone was together, they were bonding. That’s what I want to see, a good culture on and off the court. Just a good program.” The point guard plans to take some more visits in the fall or late June and is eyeing trips to Rutgers, Syracuse, Florida, Temple and Wyoming. Tillery has fielded offers from the likes of Iowa, DePaul, Georgetown, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio State and Florida since May 28th. Tillery is ranked the No. 128 player in the class of 2025 per 247Sports and the No. 3 player in the state of New Hampshire. The guard is known for his electric speed, and he describes himself as a pass-first point guard. Tillery’s assist/turnover ratio was higher than 3.5 in the 10 games of fully recorded stats this summer. He also grabbed 13 total steals. “I try to get my teammates involved before I get myself involved,” Tillery said. “I play a lot of defense. I just try to be a dog on the court, be a leader.” Tillery’s father was an-all around athlete, but he sadly passed away. Tillery has two older siblings and is supported by a single mom. “She’s great,” Tillery said of his mother. “She does a lot. Travels. School. She’s just the best. She’s the best person ever.” His older brother, Ky’ere Tillery, was a standout athlete in football and played running back at Morrisville State University (NY). Keyshuan’s favorite NBA player is Collin Sexton and a fun fact about him is he’s quite the chess player. Follow Sam Lance on Twitter Follow Adam Zagoria on Twitter Follow ZAGSBLOGHoops on Instagram And Like ZAGS on FacebookCity Rocks has no players ranked above 130th in their EYBL roster this season.
— Recruits News (@recruitsnews) May 27, 2024
Keyshuan Tillery is the highest (136th on 247Sports)
Yet, they finished 11-4 and have the 3rd best record in the EYBL Raveling conference.
City Rocks has built a special team. 🗽 pic.twitter.com/KB9TLJkBPr
