Ty Berry was on his second official visit last month when he came to Minnesota, but it was the first time he got to experience the fan atmosphere at a Big Ten school.
Berry, a 6-foot-2 guard at Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.), enjoyed sitting with the Gophers basketball team as they watched the U football team beat South Dakota State at TCF Bank Stadium last Thursday.
"That was a solid game," the four-star prospect told the Star Tribune this week. "I had a good time with the coaching staff and my parents."
Still, what impressed Berry the most about the entire visit was being able to chat with Minnesota coach Richard Pitino about the program. Previously, Berry's communication had mostly been with assistant Kyle Lindsted, who first recruited him two years ago on Wichita State's staff.
"It improved my perspective on Minnesota," Berry said. "At first, I was a little skeptical and didn't know how I was going to like it and all that. After the visit, I talked to my parents. It was a fun time. It looks like a place where I could be at."
Berry, who grew up in Newton, Kansas, didn't know much about Minnesota before his visit.
"I knew the weather in Minnesota can be really cold and it can snow all of the time," he said. "That was not really a huge factor. It was good to talk to coach Pitino a lot more and build a good relationship with him."
Pitino told Berry that "nothing is guaranteed" when it comes to playing time, but that he saw the opportunity to contribute as a freshman. Berry sees his position at the next level being point guard, but his three-point shooting allows him to play off the ball as well.
