Portland State Team Report
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Portland State struggled again in its second season under coach Tyler Geving, but the Vikings have a nice nucleus to build around next season when they regain their postseason eligibility.
The NCAA ruled Portland State ineligible for the postseason due to low Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores from the 2005-06 to 2008-09 academic years, but the Vikings wouldn’t have qualified anyway. They went 14-16 overall and 5-11 to finish seventh in the Big Sky Conference, which only issues conference tournament bids to its top six teams.
It was an unfortunate way for seniors such as Melvin Jones, Phillip Thomas and Phil Nelson to play out their final season at Portland State. The Vikings made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007-08 and 2008-09 under former coach Ken Bone, but they also fell into an academic abyss that resulted in reductions in scholarships and practice time as well as the postseason ban.
Geving has made academics a priority since taking over last season. The Vikings are showing progress in the classroom, but they haven’t been nearly as good on the court. They are 27-35 over the past two seasons with a 12-20 record in conference play.
With three starters and five redshirts expected to return next season, Geving may be able to lead Portland State back into contention in the Big Sky. The Vikings will lose Jones, Thomas and Nelson, who ranked fourth, fifth and sixth on the team, respectively, in scoring this season, but they will welcome back leading scorers Charles Odum, Chris Harriel and Chehales Tapscott.
Odum, Harriel and Tapscott gained invaluable experience that will help them lead the Vikings into the future. Despite the postseason ban, Odum rejected the notion that the Vikings had nothing to play for.
“We play to win,” Odum told Vanguard, the school newspaper. “We don’t just play because. If you go out there and put on a jersey, then you’re playing to win.”
And, in their case, playing for the future.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Junior G Charles Odum was named second-team All-Big Sky Conference after averaging 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season. He shot 52.4 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from 3-point range and 72.5 percent at the free-throw line. He was even better in conference play, averaging 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 56.5 percent from the field and 46.5 percent from beyond the arc.
• In just two years at Portland State, senior G Melvin Jones made 153 3-point goals to finish fourth on the school’s career list. He led the team and ranked fourth in the Big Sky Conference with 72 3-point goals this season, the seventh-best single-season mark in school history. Jones, a native of Seattle, enjoyed a storybook ending, concluding his career with a big game in his hometown. Jones scored a season-high 25 points in his final game for the Vikings, an 81-71 victory at Seattle on March 10. Jones made seven of 11 field-goal attempts, four of six from 3-point range and seven of eight free throws.
Final Record: 14-16, 5-11, seventh in the Big Sky Conference
2010-11 Season Recap: The Vikings went 6-2 to start the season and were still sitting above .500 at 10-8 when a knee injury forced junior F Chehales Tapscott to miss six games from Jan. 22-Feb. 10. The Vikings went 1-5 with Tapscott out of the lineup and lost again when he made a limited return to action Feb. 16. They won three of their next five over the final weeks of the season as Tapscott returned to form, but by then it was too late. The Vikings dropped to seventh in the Big Sky Conference at 5-11. Only the top six teams qualified for the Big Sky tournament, but the Vikings weren’t eligible anyway as a result of academic sanctions. Injuries were a common theme this season. The Vikings played with as few as nine players in 13 games, and they played 14 games without senior F Phil Nelson, who averaged 12.9 points as a junior.
Quote To Note: “It’s special, but sad at the same time, so you just have to leave it all on the floor. Just knowing that this is it. Your college career is over, you can never put on another college basketball uniform again. There’s not much you can do about it but just go out, play hard and give it your best.”—Senior G Melvin Jones, to Vanguard, before scoring a season-high 25 points in his final game for the Vikings, an 81-71 victory over Seattle on March 10.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The Good News: Portland State coach Tyler Geving will return three starters, six letter-winners and five redshirts next season. Among the returners will be the team’s three leading scorers: junior G Charles Odum (14 ppg), sophomore G Chris Harriel (12.6 ppg) and junior F Chehales Tapscott (11.8 ppg). One big, big addition will be Brandon Cataldo, a 6-foot-10, 290-pound freshman center who redshirted this season. Cataldo was rated the 10th-best center in the nation by ESPN.com and the second-best center on the West Coast by scouthoops.com before a broken leg forced him to miss his senior season at Rainier (Ore.) High School. Cataldo reportedly doesn’t run or jump well but is exceptionally skilled. Another key addition to the Vikings’ front line will be Renado Parker, a 6-5, 245-pound junior power forward who was a first-team All-American and conference MVP at North Idaho Junior College. Parker, described in his team bio as “a big, strong, back-to-the-basket presence who can score, rebound and defend,” transferred to Portland State at the start of the 2011 winter term and will become eligible at the end of the fall term.
The Bad News: The Vikings must part with senior G Melvin Jones and senior F Phillip Thomas, each of whom played key roles this season. Jones gave the Vikings two good years after transferring from North Idaho Junior College and will leave a void in the starting lineup. He averaged 11.5 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds this season, and he was the team’s top 3-point threat. He made a team-high 73 3-point goals and shot 38.5 percent from beyond the arc this season. At 6-foot-8, 245 pounds, Thomas gave the Vikings a big body and a post presence good for 9.7 points per game. Thomas was an exceptional free-throw shooter who had his best game against Sacramento State on Jan. 29, scoring 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-13 shooting at the free-throw line.
Key Returnees: Odum stepped right into a starring role in his first season with the Vikings and should be prepared to lead what might be a better team in 2011-12. He averaged a team-high 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Harriel will play a major part again next season after averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, but his field-goal percentage (.372) must improve. Tapscott also figures to play a prominent role after averaging 11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in his first season with the Vikings.
Player Notes
• Junior G Charles Odum should get more shots with senior G Melvin Jones departing, and Odum might make better use of them. Odum shot 52.4 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range this season. He attempted fewer shots but averaged more points than Jones, who shot 38.5 percent from beyond the arc but just 40.6 percent from the field.
• Junior F Chehales Tapscott showed all season he could be a reliable rebounder and a capable scorer, but he saved his best defense for last. Tapscott recorded season highs of three steals and four blocked shots in the final game of the season, an 81-71 victory over Seattle. Tapscott averaged 11.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, one steal and 0.8 blocks in his first season with the Vikings. He ranked second in the Big Sky Conference in rebounding.
• Senior F Phil Nelson scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting against Seattle on March 10 in his final game for the Vikings, finishing on a high note after a foot injury forced him to miss the final 12 games last season and the first 14 games this season. Nelson averaged 10.8 points per game as a sophomore and 12.9 as a junior, but he wasn’t the same after suffering a broken bone in his left foot 20 games into the 2009-10 season.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=teamreports-2011-ncaab-pbe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Portland State struggled again in its second season under coach Tyler Geving, but the Vikings have a nice nucleus to build around next season when they regain their postseason eligibility.
The NCAA ruled Portland State ineligible for the postseason due to low Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores from the 2005-06 to 2008-09 academic years, but the Vikings wouldn’t have qualified anyway. They went 14-16 overall and 5-11 to finish seventh in the Big Sky Conference, which only issues conference tournament bids to its top six teams.
It was an unfortunate way for seniors such as Melvin Jones, Phillip Thomas and Phil Nelson to play out their final season at Portland State. The Vikings made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007-08 and 2008-09 under former coach Ken Bone, but they also fell into an academic abyss that resulted in reductions in scholarships and practice time as well as the postseason ban.
Geving has made academics a priority since taking over last season. The Vikings are showing progress in the classroom, but they haven’t been nearly as good on the court. They are 27-35 over the past two seasons with a 12-20 record in conference play.
With three starters and five redshirts expected to return next season, Geving may be able to lead Portland State back into contention in the Big Sky. The Vikings will lose Jones, Thomas and Nelson, who ranked fourth, fifth and sixth on the team, respectively, in scoring this season, but they will welcome back leading scorers Charles Odum, Chris Harriel and Chehales Tapscott.
Odum, Harriel and Tapscott gained invaluable experience that will help them lead the Vikings into the future. Despite the postseason ban, Odum rejected the notion that the Vikings had nothing to play for.
“We play to win,” Odum told Vanguard, the school newspaper. “We don’t just play because. If you go out there and put on a jersey, then you’re playing to win.”
And, in their case, playing for the future.
NOTES, QUOTES
• Junior G Charles Odum was named second-team All-Big Sky Conference after averaging 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists this season. He shot 52.4 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from 3-point range and 72.5 percent at the free-throw line. He was even better in conference play, averaging 15.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 56.5 percent from the field and 46.5 percent from beyond the arc.
• In just two years at Portland State, senior G Melvin Jones made 153 3-point goals to finish fourth on the school’s career list. He led the team and ranked fourth in the Big Sky Conference with 72 3-point goals this season, the seventh-best single-season mark in school history. Jones, a native of Seattle, enjoyed a storybook ending, concluding his career with a big game in his hometown. Jones scored a season-high 25 points in his final game for the Vikings, an 81-71 victory at Seattle on March 10. Jones made seven of 11 field-goal attempts, four of six from 3-point range and seven of eight free throws.
Final Record: 14-16, 5-11, seventh in the Big Sky Conference
2010-11 Season Recap: The Vikings went 6-2 to start the season and were still sitting above .500 at 10-8 when a knee injury forced junior F Chehales Tapscott to miss six games from Jan. 22-Feb. 10. The Vikings went 1-5 with Tapscott out of the lineup and lost again when he made a limited return to action Feb. 16. They won three of their next five over the final weeks of the season as Tapscott returned to form, but by then it was too late. The Vikings dropped to seventh in the Big Sky Conference at 5-11. Only the top six teams qualified for the Big Sky tournament, but the Vikings weren’t eligible anyway as a result of academic sanctions. Injuries were a common theme this season. The Vikings played with as few as nine players in 13 games, and they played 14 games without senior F Phil Nelson, who averaged 12.9 points as a junior.
Quote To Note: “It’s special, but sad at the same time, so you just have to leave it all on the floor. Just knowing that this is it. Your college career is over, you can never put on another college basketball uniform again. There’s not much you can do about it but just go out, play hard and give it your best.”—Senior G Melvin Jones, to Vanguard, before scoring a season-high 25 points in his final game for the Vikings, an 81-71 victory over Seattle on March 10.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The Good News: Portland State coach Tyler Geving will return three starters, six letter-winners and five redshirts next season. Among the returners will be the team’s three leading scorers: junior G Charles Odum (14 ppg), sophomore G Chris Harriel (12.6 ppg) and junior F Chehales Tapscott (11.8 ppg). One big, big addition will be Brandon Cataldo, a 6-foot-10, 290-pound freshman center who redshirted this season. Cataldo was rated the 10th-best center in the nation by ESPN.com and the second-best center on the West Coast by scouthoops.com before a broken leg forced him to miss his senior season at Rainier (Ore.) High School. Cataldo reportedly doesn’t run or jump well but is exceptionally skilled. Another key addition to the Vikings’ front line will be Renado Parker, a 6-5, 245-pound junior power forward who was a first-team All-American and conference MVP at North Idaho Junior College. Parker, described in his team bio as “a big, strong, back-to-the-basket presence who can score, rebound and defend,” transferred to Portland State at the start of the 2011 winter term and will become eligible at the end of the fall term.
The Bad News: The Vikings must part with senior G Melvin Jones and senior F Phillip Thomas, each of whom played key roles this season. Jones gave the Vikings two good years after transferring from North Idaho Junior College and will leave a void in the starting lineup. He averaged 11.5 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds this season, and he was the team’s top 3-point threat. He made a team-high 73 3-point goals and shot 38.5 percent from beyond the arc this season. At 6-foot-8, 245 pounds, Thomas gave the Vikings a big body and a post presence good for 9.7 points per game. Thomas was an exceptional free-throw shooter who had his best game against Sacramento State on Jan. 29, scoring 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field and 11-of-13 shooting at the free-throw line.
Key Returnees: Odum stepped right into a starring role in his first season with the Vikings and should be prepared to lead what might be a better team in 2011-12. He averaged a team-high 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Harriel will play a major part again next season after averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, but his field-goal percentage (.372) must improve. Tapscott also figures to play a prominent role after averaging 11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds in his first season with the Vikings.
Player Notes
• Junior G Charles Odum should get more shots with senior G Melvin Jones departing, and Odum might make better use of them. Odum shot 52.4 percent from the field and 39.5 percent from 3-point range this season. He attempted fewer shots but averaged more points than Jones, who shot 38.5 percent from beyond the arc but just 40.6 percent from the field.
• Junior F Chehales Tapscott showed all season he could be a reliable rebounder and a capable scorer, but he saved his best defense for last. Tapscott recorded season highs of three steals and four blocked shots in the final game of the season, an 81-71 victory over Seattle. Tapscott averaged 11.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, one steal and 0.8 blocks in his first season with the Vikings. He ranked second in the Big Sky Conference in rebounding.
• Senior F Phil Nelson scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting against Seattle on March 10 in his final game for the Vikings, finishing on a high note after a foot injury forced him to miss the final 12 games last season and the first 14 games this season. Nelson averaged 10.8 points per game as a sophomore and 12.9 as a junior, but he wasn’t the same after suffering a broken bone in his left foot 20 games into the 2009-10 season.