Temple University Athletics
SIMON GRATZ STANDOUT MARK TYNDALE SIGNS NLI TO ATTEND TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
4.15.04 | Men's Basketball
The six-foot, five-inch forward averaged a Philadelphia Public League-leading 22.7 points and 11 rebounds per game in helping Gratz win the 2004 PL Championship his senior season. Tyndale, a native of Philadelphia, increased his scoring average to 25 points per contest during his team's four Public League playoff games, shooting 51 percent from the field during that stretch. For his high school career, he scored 1,182 points with 1,039 points coming in his two seasons (2002-03 through 2003-04) at Gratz.
Besides his all-State selection, Tyndale was twice named first team all-Public League and, as a senior, earned PL Player of the Year honors. He also received the Markward Award given annually to the Public League's Most Outstanding Player and was named first team all-City by the Philadelphia Daily News as a senior.
"Mark comes at a much needed time in the history of Temple basketball," said Hall of Fame coach John Chaney. "We are hoping he will fill a great void due to the graduation of David Hawkins. He has tremendous inside and outside ability. He also has a fiery, aggressive, positive attitude in regards to his offensive ability."
Current Temple men's basketball assistant coach Bill Ellerbee previously served as Simon Gratz's head boys' coach from 1982 through 2002. Chaney also served as the head coach at Gratz from 1966 through 1972. Current Gratz head coach Leonard Poole, who played under Chaney while he was the head coach at Gratz, won his first Public League title this year. He guided his team to a 25-3 overall record.
Tyndale joins an Owl team that posted a 15-14 mark and extended its string of postseason appearances to 21 straight seasons with a trip to the NIT.
