“He always has a smile on his face.”
Portland State basketball head coach Tyler Geving said this over and over again when describing his leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Chehales Tapscott.
Tapscott played his last game as a Viking, and he will be missed. The senior averaged nine rebounds a game and had a huge effect on the team this season. One of the more memorable moments from his career this year was a game winner against Seattle University: Tapscott hit multiple shots in the final minute, including one at the buzzer to give the Vikings the victory.
“That was a great moment,” Geving said. “Every game you knew what you were getting out of him. You were getting consistency, and he could do so many things to affect the game. But that game stuck out. He made some nice plays.”
Though Tapscott did struggle a little in academics early on, he made a good impression off the court over the last few years. “He’s a great kid. I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him,” Geving said. “He’s more grown up academically. It’s always been a little bit of a struggle for him. [He] realized the importance of getting a degree. He’s made some great strides in that area.”
As far as his future, Tapscott’s best basketball is ahead of him. The senior is constantly making progress in his game, and he plans to continue basketball in Europe next year.
“He got such a late start. He didn’t really start playing until high school,” Geving said. “By the time he’s 30, you are going to see a player that is twice as good as he is now. He’s got such a great upside to him.”
Replacing Tapscott is going to be a challenge next season, especially with all the rebounds the senior grabbed. Next year, a lot of players are going to have to step up, including guards that will have to get more rebounds than they are used to. His positive attitude will be missed too.
“He’s a great kid,” Geving said. “I’ll miss him every day.” ■