Recruiting process ramps up for Gateway’s Mykel Bruce-McCrommon

By: Michael Love
Sunday, July 20, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Mykel Bruce-McCrommon scored 22 points a game as a junior this past season as the Gateway boys basketball team finished 13-9 overall, tied Latrobe for second in Section 1-5A at 10-4 and again took part in the WPIAL playoffs.

It wasn’t just putting the ball in the basket that made him a hot commodity. He also averaged nearly 10 rebounds a game, and it wasn’t uncommon to see him reject opponents’ shots on the defensive end.

Bruce-McCrommon’s resume already is filled with big accomplishments, and he is not slowing down as the summer progresses. As he puts in the work in open gyms with his Gateway teammates and at tournaments with his Scoring Factory AAU team, more Division I college programs are showing interest in the lengthy 6-foot-5 guard/forward.

“It’s getting more exciting as I get more schools reaching out,” said Bruce-McCrommon, who has received interest from schools such as Robert Morris, Navy and Pitt.

“It’s mainly on Twitter or texts from people showing interest. It’s big for my confidence, and it makes me want to work that much harder.”

Bruce-McCrommon had the attention of a pretty big name in the college coaching game the weekend of July 12 as he played at a tournament in Philadelphia.

John Calipari, the head coach at Arkansas who has won several college coach of the year awards and is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame (2015), was at the showcase event and got a first-hand look at Bruce-McCrommon’s game.

“(Calipari) was talking to my dad (former Robert Morris standout Chaz McCrommon), and he said he might come to a game, and he showed up,” Bruce-McCrommon said.

“He saw my film from my junior season, and said he liked it and wanted to come see me. It was just a crazy moment to know I was playing with him watching me.”

Bruce-McCrommon said he didn’t get the chance to personally talk with Calipari but was encouraged to know that Calipari liked his lengthy, athletic build and his ability to score the basketball on three levels.

“We’re going to stay in touch,” he said.

Chaz McCrommon is no stranger to the recruiting process having gone through it before he committed to RMU in 2000. He was a two-time Northeast Conference first-team selection and was inducted into the RMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.

“My dad has been a big help in how I communicate with schools and coaches. He went through it all, and he wants me to get the most out of it,” Bruce-McCrommon said. “He’s given me so much advice. I am just learning so much through this process.”

Bruce-McCrommon knows he has a lot of people in his family to turn to for knowledge of the college recruiting game but also what it takes to be successful at the college level.

His mother, Chelsea Bruce, played at Longwood. His grandfather, Kirk Bruce, played and coached at Pitt. His great aunt, Jennifer Bruce-Scott, is in the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame for her accomplishments with the Panthers.

“I’ve been talking to all of them, too,” Bruce-McCrommon said. “They all know the right things to do because they’ve all been through it.”

Chaz McCrommon and Kirk Bruce both are assistant coaches with the Gators under head coach Alvis Rogers, so they see the day-to-day development of one of the WPIALs top players.

“This is an exciting time for Mykel,” his father said. “He’s learning each day. Something new might pop up, and he’s ready to work with that.

“Calipari said he feels he will grow some more and sees the potential in the long run that as he keeps maturing and developing, he’s going to be a really good college player. If that doesn’t motivate you, nothing will. Mykel took that to heart and gives him that drive to work even harder.”

Rogers said Bruce-McCrommon is ready to take his game to the next level.

“I felt Mykel should’ve been section player of the year last year, and he should be player of the year this year with the potential he has for another big season for himself and also what he can do for this team,” Rogers said.

“He’s a complete player. He can get to his spots. He can shoot the ball. He can defend. He has such a good IQ for the game.”

Rogers hopes Bruce-McCrommon is enjoying the recruiting process.

“He is such a soft-spoken kid,” he said. “I think that is why he doesn’t have a lot of the fanfare. He’s a pretty humble kid. He’s not a guy who is always on social media posting this or that. He comes to the gym and does what he has to do, and then he’s home.”

Bruce-McCrommon said that while things develop in the recruiting process, he looks forward to continuing to help develop the foundation for this year’s Gators team.

“We definitely put in the work in the summer leagues, and everyone has come into the gym ready to work,” he said.

“I think it is going to be a good season. We have a lot of seniors, and I think we are going to put it together. That’s the main goal. This is my last year, and I want to help us go for everything we can.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway