Senior guard will have options

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Senior shooting guard Tyson Jolly has emerged as one of the best unsigned players in America in the first few months of the high school season.

Last week at the Tarkanian Classic, the 6-foot-4 shooting guard proved again that he belongs in the final Rivals150 for the class of 2015 as he helped lead his Oklahoma City (Okla.) Putnam City West squad all the way to the finals of the Platinum Division.

With a warrior-like mentality on the floor, Jolly plays each possession like it could be his last, and he is a vocal leader who also leads by example. Of course, that shouldn't come as a surprise given what he has already overcome.

Rivals.com covered it during the Tarkanian Classic, but it once again bears mentioning that less than a year ago Jolly was told by doctors that his basketball career might be over. Blood clots had spread from his legs to his lungs and he had a pulmonary embolism that seriously jeopardized his health.

"The first night I went to the hospital the doctor said I was never going to play again," Jolly told Rivals.com at the Tarkanian Classic. "I didn't know what to do because all I do is play basketball. I wasn't nervous when I came back. I was ready. It's just natural. I don't like losing."

Fully cleared and playing at a high level, Jolly and his teammates won over pretty much any scout, fan or coach that watched them play in Vegas.

What are the strengths of Jolly's game?

"It depends," said Jolly. "On the fast break I'm pretty good, I can block shots and I hit open shots and get into the lane. I think I could always work on my defense."

Prior to his health issues, Jolly had offers from Tulsa and UTEP and was hearing quite a bit from Oklahoma. Tulsa recently put an offer back on the table, Northern Arizona is involved, UTEP is ramping things back up and Wake Forest (whose staff recruited him at Tulsa) has reached out. Most likely, Jolly's recruitment will explode as coaches get past the Christmas break and dive into the best available players list.

When his recruitment does pick up, Jolly will be looking for somebody to make him feel like a priority and a good situational fit.

"I'm looking for a past-paced team that likes to run with shooters," said Jolly. "I'm also looking for good coaches and good teammates."

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