ROCHESTER, Mich. – Walking on to a Division I basketball team is signing up for a lot of work, predicated on a deep love for the game. Overcoming challenges is a part of the journey, but Freshmen Ty Wyman and Peyton Mele are no strangers to persevering. 

Mele and Wyman walked on to the 2021-22 roster and have worked their way to the Division I level, following in the footsteps of their parents, who played college basketball.

Peyton Mele's father, Chris, played Division II basketball at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Ty Wyman's mother, Melissa, played both Division I and II at Western Illinois and Grand Valley State University. 

Chris Mele not only played D2 ball, he coached youth basketball throughout Peyton's childhood. Chris coached at Sharon High School and Kennedy Catholic High School before coaching Peyton at Hickory High School in Hermitage, Penn. 

"All throughout my childhood he was a coach," Mele said. "During my high school years I was fortunate enough to have him as my coach, he's definitely a big reason why I'm here right now."

Wyman leaned on his family during the recruiting process, which for both he and Mele, came at the most difficult period for college sports this century. Wyman's mother, Melissa, helped him persist through challenging circumstances. 

"It's always been a dream for me to play college basketball, and she helped support that and helped me through it," Wyman said. "She knew the recruiting process, she kept my hopes high about everything and through COVID[-19] she told me to keep working and something would work out – and something did." 

Playing while wearing masks wasn't the only hurdle for Wyman, a three-time County Player of the Year. He experienced the first injury of his high school career when he rolled his ankle and missed multiple weeks. 

"It was very tough, but there's a bump in everyone's road – you just have to overcome it," Wyman said. "You just have to keep a good attitude through it all and pray for the best."

When Mele made the decision to walk on at Oakland, he said he was "fulfilling the D1 dream."

"When I got there [Oakland], I fell in love with the campus," Mele told WKBN in Pennsylvania. It just felt right. The first time I was there, I was in awe of the court. When I saw that court, it felt like home."

Mele, who led Hickory to their second-all time State Championship and Wyman, who led Blissfield to its first Lenawee County Athletic Association title since 2003, are both used to winning. Now, they're part of a Golden Grizzlies team off to its best start since 2016, when they started 9-1.

The men's basketball team is 7-3, including a win over Oklahoma State and a 3-0 championship performance in the Gulf Coast Showcase. 

"It's been a testament of our hard work," Mele said. "We conditioned a lot in the summer and the fall, we really focused on perfecting our defense." 

That defense has been the strength of the Golden Grizzlies' team. Oakland is allowing the second-least points per game in the Horizon, just letting up 66.2 points on average. 

"This is a great group of guys and a great group of coaches," Wyman said. "All of the guys are fun and supportive, no matter who you are."

Both Mele and Wyman are shooters. Mele hit 261 threes, a school record at Hickory. Wyman ended his career with 1,367 total points.

Coming to Oakland, where Head Coach Greg Kampe has a history of developing shooters and guards, was something Mele felt could help him grow his game. Sophomore guard Blake Lampman, who had to work his way to playing time, has been a mentor for Mele. 

"He [Blake] has kind of taken me under his wing and I've modeled my game after him this year," Mele said. "I try to take little things from his game, like the quick release he has. He's always in the gym an hour before practice, he inspires me to work hard." 

Wyman looks to model his game after three-time NBA champion Klay Thompson, one of the deadliest shooters off the catch in NBA history, with defensive ability to boot. Getting to the point of becoming a reliable shooter takes work, repetition and dedication, qualities Wyman inherited from his family, rich with blue-collar workers.

"My family has a history of blue-collar workers," Wyman said. "All of my uncles work on a farm, my brother welds, my sister just got out of college trying to find a job in business and my mom's a teacher."

Since coming to Oakland, Wyman has applied that work to conditioning and strength to help his defense as he shifts from forward, which he played in high school, to more of a guard. 

"I'm trying to improve everything in my game, I still have a lot of ways to go, but I'm excited for it," Wyman said.

In their first year here, both freshmen have reveled in the Division I atmosphere, a stark change from empty gyms due to COVID-19 protocols in their senior seasons.

"The first game against Toledo, it was electric," Mele said. "I love that feeling of being in front of all those fans, it's a totally different vibe. I just love that it's getting back to normal."