Upholding the name

When most basketball fans hear the name Tsingine they usually think of the legendary Tsingine brothers from the Tuba City area.

And today one of the brothers' sons is upholding the Tsingine name as a standout player for the Flagstaff Eagles.

Tyler Tsingine, standing 6 feet tall, is the point guard for the Eagles.

"Tyler's a very good shooter," said his coach, James Kirk. "We've called on him down the stretch when we needed a last-second shot. We've got several sets for him because we know he's gonna get it down.

"He can get to the rim," he said. "He's been really working hard on his defense. We really have benefited from that."

Tyler grew up in Tuba City where his father lives.      When he finished the eighth grade he wanted bigger and better things so he moved to Flagstaff to learn and play basketball.

"I just wanted to step off the reservation and try to do something new," he said. "Both my brother and sister went to Tuba City High School. It was a big transition leaving Tuba City. Stepping into the city everything's a lot faster, the game's more broken down."

But he took it in stride.

He lived in a dormitory so he could attend school while his family remained in Tuba City. His parents and extended family visited him on weekends.

Tyler's father, Raymond Tsingine, and his uncle, Willard Tsingine, shook the basketball world on and off the reservation in the 1970s.

Raymond played Coconino High and graduated in 1973. He red-shirted at Arizona State University then transferred to Northern Arizona University.

Willard also played at Coconino High and at NAU. Both now reside in Tuba City.

Tyler said though it is not the only reason, his family history has made him strive for the best.

"I've always been playing since I was little," he said. "It just grew on me a lot. I've always heard a lot about what my dad and uncle had accomplished playing basketball. It keeps me motivated to play harder, keep that family name going as much as I can."

So far he's doing a good job at it.

Tyler started on the freshman team and moved up to junior his sophomore year, playing a little varsity at the end of the season.

Last year as a junior, he was the No. 2 shooting guard on the varsity. This year he's moved up into the leadership role of the varsity.

Last year Flagstaff reached the 4A conference state playoffs where they were knocked out in the first round to the team that went on to become state champions.

"It was good feeling knowing that our teams were good," he said. "Last year, it was a really big year for us. Now all of us are all seniors and there's only four underclassmen playing. We have experience now and we want to get in the state tournament."

"He's really a two guard by nature," Kirk said. "I think he's best coming up without the ball, coming off of screens, but we lost a point guard before the season started. He's kind of been the next guy we've gone to."

For Tyler he was ready.

"It was just another challenge for me to overcome to become more of a vocal leader, a team leader," he said. "I try to give them my all. I never really get down on anybody.

"I like playing offense really, getting my teammates involved," he said. "I love passing the ball, but I'm also a scorer. In my mind my I'm a really good scorer. I'm an offensive threat my coach usually says."

Tyler is the youngest of three children. His older brother works and attends school in Flagstaff and his sister is finishing up her college basketball career in Rapid City, S.D.

But basketball isn't the only thing that Raymond is proud of when it comes to his children, especially when it comes to Tyler.

"I'm so proud of him going to school in Flagstaff," Raymond Tsingine said. "I've been talking to him saying, 'You're a senior now, you're a point guard now, you need to talk to your teammates.'"

Tyler said he often visits Tuba City and keeps in close contact with family and friends.

"He's a good kid," Raymond said. "He grew up in TC. He went to Tuba City Boarding School. He just has a personality. He gets along with people. He has a lot of friends over there now."   Raymond Tsingine said Tyler's grandfather, Byron Tsingine, was teammates with the grandfathers of two players on Tyler's team.

It's a situation that reminds Raymond of the good old days but it doesn't take away his focus from what's really important.

"It's just a total parent's enjoyment, being proud of your son," Raymond.

Back to top ^