Cincinnati added another local name to its 2027 recruiting haul on Friday evening, with Josh Tyson announcing his commitment at his former school, Lakota West.
The 6-foot-1 combo guard out of La Lumiere School becomes the Bearcats’ second pledge in the class and the latest Cincinnati native to stay close to home. Tyson is ranked No. 42 nationally by 247Sports and No. 54 in the composite rankings.
His final list included Ohio State, Michigan State, Virginia Tech and Clemson, but the race eventually narrowed to Cincinnati and Xavier before he picked the Bearcats.
Tyson now joins Princeton High School point guard Kam Mercer, another Cincinnati native, in what is the first high school recruiting class for first-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun. Calhoun has already made a strong impression locally by landing two top-100 players from the Cincinnati area.
Mercer also helped push the recruitment along, applying “the full court press” on Tyson after his own commitment in May. The two have known each other since childhood and played together on All-Ohio for multiple years.
On the floor, Tyson brings a little bit of everything. He’s the kind of guard who may not have one flashy calling card, but does enough of everything to tilt games. He broke through in the summer of 2025 in Rock Hill, S.C., where he showed how much he could affect winning with his all-around game.
Defense has long been part of Tyson’s identity, and his offense has taken a noticeable step forward over the last year. Cincinnati also got an early jump on the local guard with an unofficial visit in late May, before Tyson returned for an official visit this past weekend.
After that trip, Tyson told Bearcat Journal he has built a strong relationship with several Cincinnati players, including fellow native Eric Mahaffey and big man Jayden Hastings.
The Bearcats’ guard room could be crowded by the time the 2027-2028 season arrives. Tylen Riley, Myles Colvin, Trevian Carson, Akai Fleming and Elijah Perryman all have remaining eligibility under the recently adopted 5-for-5 age-based eligibility rule.
In Other News...
Jerrod Calhoun Just Landed A Local Recruiting Win Bearcats Fans Will Love
Cincinnati picked up an important early boost for Jerrod Calhouns first recruiting class, landing four-star guard Joshua Tyson from the 2027 cycle. Tyson, a local target with plenty of attention, is ranked 54th nationally and 12th among point guards by 247Sports, and he chose the Bearcats over Xavier and other suitors.
For a program trying to blend the transfer portal with longer-term development, this is the kind of commitment that matters. Calhoun has made it clear he wants high-ceiling talent he can grow, and Tyson gives Cincinnati a promising young guard with both talent and local appeal, while also sending a message in a recruiting battle fans always notice. [Read more 🡒]
Cincinnati's Unbeaten Start Comes With A Big Concern Fans Can't Ignore
Cincinnatis unbeaten start has kept the Bearcats in the Big 12 conversation, but the early schedule has also made it hard to ignore where the pressure point lies. As the league season settles in, the focus around Scott Satterfields team is shifting from the clean record to the part of the roster that has to hold up if this run is going to mean anything beyond September.
The Bearcats are one of four Big 12 teams facing revealing tests in Week 4, and their issue stands out because it comes even before the conference grind really gets rolling. The offense has helped keep Cincinnati afloat, but the defense has been the source of concern, and against a league schedule built to expose flaws, the question is how long an undefeated start can mask it. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Faces A Dangerous Spot It Can't Afford To Waste
The Big 12s early-season picture is already getting a little messy, and Cincinnati is right in the middle of that conversation as the league heads into Week 4. The Bearcats have a difficult schedule ahead, the kind that can quickly turn a promising start into a weekly survival test, and that backdrop makes every result across the conference worth watching for how it reshapes the race around them.
Houstons road trip to Georgia Southern is one of the sharper pressure points on the board, but it is not the only one. Colorados coaching changes under Deion Sanders, Utahs looming matchup with Iowa State, and the possibility of Oklahoma State or West Virginia emerging as dark horses all feed into a league table that could look different again by the time Cincinnati settles into its next stretch. [Read more 🡒]