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The Portland State basketball program, under third-year Head Coach Tyler Geving, will open its preseason practice schedule this Friday in preparation for the 2011-12 season.
    
The Vikings will go off campus, on a team retreat to Newport, OR, for its first two full practices. PSU will take Sunday off, then practice every day next week at 4 p.m. at the Stott Center.
    
Geving will need to incorporate eight new players to his roster this season. The Vikings return three players from 2010-11, two of whom were full-time starters and one that was a part-time starter. PSU also has three redshirts returning from last year.
    
Portland State opens its schedule with an exhibition game on Nov. 4 against Western Oregon. It will be part of a doubleheader with the Viking women. The women are scheduled to play at 6 p.m., with the men tipping off at 8:05 p.m.
    
PSU's first counting game will be Nov. 11 at Denver University. The first home contest is Tuesday, Nov. 15 against Seattle University. That opens a 12-game home schedule at the Stott Center.

Preseason Practice Schedule
Oct. 14    practice at Newport High School
Oct. 15    practice at Newport High School
Oct. 16    Off
Oct. 17-21    4-7 p.m.
Oct. 22    1 p.m. (open to public)
Oct. 23    Off
Oct. 24-27    4-7 p.m.

A LOOK BACK
The Portland State Vikings completed the 2010-11 season with a 14-16 record overall. The Vikings were 5-11 in Big Sky Conference play. Despite a handful of injuries that had PSU playing with as few as nine players in 13 of their games, the Vikings still managed to improve on the 2009-10 record (13-19).

2011-12 VIKING SEASON PREVIEW
The 2011-12 basketball season will be a bounce-back year for the Portland State Vikings men's basketball team. The Vikings plan to bounce back from a season away from the Big Sky Tournament, as well as one plagued by injuries.
    
In fact, the 2010-11 season was an overall improvement from the prior year (14-16 compared to 13-19), but the Vikings were on pace for a much better finish before injuries to several key players created a struggle through Big Sky Conference play. The Vikings started 6-2 in the preseason, and were 9-5 in non-conference games overall. But, a 5-11 mark in Big Sky games was as much due to injuries to Chehales Tapscott, Phil Nelson, Nate Lozeau and Terry Coleman, as any other reason. PSU had just nine players available in 13 of the 30 games played and lost 33 player games to injury overall.
    
But to bounce back, Head Coach Tyler Geving must quickly incorporate his new players and get them playing well together despite a relative lack of familiarity.
    
“There are a lot of new faces and everybody has been “the man” where they have (come from),” said the third-year head coach. “So the roles will be established and probably always changing until we mesh as a team and develop good chemistry.
    
“We've been doing a lot of teaching and getting everyone on the same page. I am excited about the talent and athleticism, and would expect we would continue to get better as the season goes along.”
    
The Vikings know how to score, having led the Big Sky Conference in scoring offense the last four seasons. “We will continue to play an up-tempo, motion offense and I feel good about that. But, we have got to be better on the defensive end. The last two years we have not had an identity on the defensive end. We are more athletic, tougher, and deeper on the roster. We should be able to play a more aggressive style on defense.”

RETURNING PLAYERS
Although third-year Head Coach Tyler Geving returns only three letterwinners and two starters, nearly half of the 2011-12 roster was with the program last year because of three returning redshirts.
    
Leading the way will be uber-talented seniors Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott.
    
Odum, a 6-foot guard, averaged a team-high 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting .524 from the field. Those numbers improved to 15.3, 3.7, 2.9 and .565 in league games, earning him second team All-Big Sky Conference.
    
Particularly impressive about Odum is his ability to drive the lane and get shots up over much bigger players, as well as draw fouls and get to the line. He also shot .395 from the three-point line in 2010-11.
    
“Chuck is going to have a great year,” said Geving. “Last year, he played at a very high level and since then has worked on his shot, his ball-handling and improved in all areas of his game.”
    
Tapscott, a 6-5 forward, might have earned All-Conference honors as well had he not lost six games to a knee injury in the middle of the Big Sky schedule. The best measure of Tapscott's ability is the Vikings were 13-11 with him in the lineup, and 1-5 with him sitting out.
    
Remarkably, Tapscott underwent surgery to repair cartilage and returned within three weeks, playing as well after as he had before. Tapscott posted a 28-point, seven-rebound effort against Montana less than a month after his surgery. Tapscott averaged 11.8 points and ranked second in the Big Sky in rebounding at 8.1 per game.
    
Tapscott is a good shooter inside and out and also gets to the free throw line with regularity.
    
“Chehales has a chance to be All-Conference this year. We went 1-5 without him (while injured), so you could make a case that he was our best player last season,” said Geving.
    
The other returning letterwinner is senior center Nate Lozeau, who started 14 games last season.
    
The 6-10 Lozeau started the first 13 games of the season and was productive, but tailed off as the season progressed, due mainly to missing five games with a severe ankle sprain. He averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, shooting a team-high .546 from the field. Lozeau has the rare ability for a big man to face the basket and hit jump shots.
    
“He was having a good year, then he hurt his ankle and never really recovered from it,” said Geving. “We need him to rebound more and be a low post threat.”
    
Geving has three players returning from redshirt seasons who should all provide a big impact in 2011-12: JR G Michael Harthun, FR C Brandon Cataldo and JR F Renado Parker.
    
Harthun is a 6-3 transfer from Washington State who will ably step into a perimeter shooter role. Although he never got his career going at WSU, Harthun is a proven scorer and winner. As a senior at South Medford (OR) High School, he averaged 21.0 points and six assists per game. He was a three-time All-Conference and All-State performer, scoring 1,949 points as a four-year starter, which ranks second in school history behind former teammate Kyle Singler, who is now in the NBA. Harthun will be particularly valuable due to the graduation of shooters Melvin Jones and Phil Nelson.
    
“I am excited about Michael. I think last year was good for him (being a redshirt). He needed a year to get his swagger and confidence back from high school. He is a real talent that can shoot extremely well,” said Geving.
    
Parker, at 6-5 and 245 pounds, provides a powerful low-post presence. After transferring to PSU last winter, he will be eligible to play for the Vikings following the fall term. In his career at North Idaho Junior College, Parker averaged 14.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals and shot .555 from the floor. In 2009, Parker was a NJCAA first team All-America and Scenic West Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player.
    
“Renado has done a great job in early season workouts,” said Geving. “When you get him the ball on the block, even though he is only 6-5 or 6-6, he is as good as anyone getting the ball in the basket.”
    
Due to his transfer status - arriving at PSU after fall term last year - Parker will not be eligible to play for the Vikings until December, likely the Dec. 10 game against Utah Valley.
    
The third returning redshirt is 6-10 center Brandon Cataldo. After missing his senior season of high school with a broken leg, Cataldo needed a year to recover and improve his conditioning. However, in that redshirt year he proved to be a very skilled big man, with good footwork, good hands, passing and shooting ability. If he continues to progress and improve his conditioning, Cataldo will form an excellent big-man tandem with Lozeau.
    
“I'm really pleased with what Brandon has done, getting himself in shape and ready to play,” said Geving. “He loves to play the game and likes to work at getting better. He will block some shots and have a presence in the middle. Offensively, he is a lot more polished than people think. Brandon has a huge upside.”

NEWCOMERS
Geving added eight players in the off-season with each having distinct skills to enhance the overall team.
    
First and foremost, Geving cited the need for a pure point guard, and believes he got his man with junior transfer Lateef McMullan. “I feel really good about the point guard spot. We got a real competitor. A tough kid who is a winner. He's also played Division I basketball before.
    
“Lateef plays hard, has a good basketball IQ and can shoot. But the biggest thing I like about him is his toughness and competitiveness. He really wants to win and that should rub off on his teammates.”
    
A 5-11 playmaker from Citrus Junior College, McMullan has the excellent quickness and ball-handling required. He averaged 16.4 points and 4.2 assists as a sophomore. McMullan had 52 steals and 89 three-point field goals while leading his team to the California State Championship game. Moreover, he played his freshman year at UC Riverside, averaging 6.2 points, 2.1 assists in 21 minutes per game and earning All-Big West Freshman team honors.
    
Also coming in at guard is freshman Gary Winston, a physically talented player in the mold of Charles Odum. At 6-0, 190 pounds, Winston was a three-time All-Big 9 performer at Walla Walla High School. He earned 2010 Cascade Division Player of the Year and was named Washington 4A first team All-State Winston was rated as the number two point guard in the state of Washington by Northwesthoops.com and the No. 64 point guard in the nation by ESPN. He originally signed with Idaho, but elected not to attend school there.     
    
“Gary is a combo guard who will play the point and the '2'. He has a great stroke and is a real threat from the three-point line. I think he can be one of the better freshmen in the league,” said Geving.
    
Jerron Smith, a 6-3 shooting guard from Federal Way's Decatur (WA) High School, comes to PSU after setting a school record with 2,034 career points. He was named the Washington 3A Player of the year. Smith, who's father Wayne played at PSU in the 1970s, has a chance to be a talented scorer as his career progresses.
    
“As a freshman he has a bright future,” said Geving. “He must get stronger and more physical and continue to adjust to the college game, but he has a good work ethic to do that.”
    
A fourth guard, Dre Winston, is a sophomore transfer from Washington State. He played in 26 games for the Cougars last season, but will sit out the coming year due to NCAA transfer rules. Geving believes Winston (no relation to Gary) could be the point guard of the future for the Vikings.
    
Winston averaged 20.8 points and 3.6 assists as a senior at Lakes (WA) High School. He led the team to a third-place finish at the 3A State Championship, earning Most Valuable Player honors.
    
Three forwards were added to the program as well: juniors Martin Whitmore and Michael Harvey, and freshman Kidus Ephrem.
    
Whitmore, like Harthun, will provide much-needed outside shooting in the coming year. At 6-5, he has good size for the perimeter. Last year at Los Angeles Trade Tech Junior College, Whitmore averaged 15.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, hitting 37% from three-point range and 76% at the line. He was named to the first team All-South Coast Conference North Division.
    
“Martin is a great shooter. But he has real defensive ability with his length on the perimeter and the way he moves his feet. I think he can be a very good rebounder too,” Geving said.
    
Harvey, also a 6-5 forward, is an extremely athletic player. He led Feather River Junior College with 20.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season, showing a propensity for getting to the line (an average of seven free throws per game) and hitting at a .755 clip.
    
“Michael reminds me a lot of (former Viking and All-Big Sky Conference wing) Deonte Huff in terms of athleticism but with more size,” said Geving. “He will be a very good rebounder and has the athleticism and quickness you want in a player.
    
Ephrem is a 6-7 forward from Portland's Central Catholic High School. His size will be important, and his adjustment to the college game a key to playing time in the coming year.
    
“Kidus has big-time upside. He has a chance to be a real good player,” said Geving. “He has all the tools. It is just a matter of time before he puts it together. He can post up and step outside to shoot. He also moves his feet really well on defense.”
    
Joining the team as a walk-on is 6-3 guard Joel King from River Ridge High School in Lacey, WA. “Joel is a solid player, a good shooter, and gives us depth on the roster,” said Geving.

THE SCHEDULE
Portland State will play a 30-game schedule, including 12 at home. The Vikings play in a preseason tournament at the University of Wyoming and will also travel to an opponent to be named for an ESPN Bracketbuster game. The Vikings face Oregon and Oregon State in the same year for the first time in nine seasons, although they will not play the University of Portland for the first time since 1998.
    
The 16-game Big Sky Conference schedule begins after Christmas. The six-team Big Sky Conference Tournament takes place Mar. 3-7.
    
“Weber State is the team to beat, with the best player in the league. With Damion Lillard on the floor they are a pretty special team,” said Geving. “But, I think on any given night, anybody can beat anybody in this league. After Weber State, I think anyone can finish second through ninth.”

TELEVISED GAMES
Currently, Portland State has two games that are scheduled to be televised. They are: Dec. 18 at Oregon State on Root Sports; and Jan. 29 vs. Montana on Altitude/CSN. Other televised games are expected to be announced later this fall.

VIKING HEAD COACH TYLER GEVING
Tyler Geving begins his third season as Head Coach and sixth season overall with the Portland State program. Geving has a 27-35 record with the Vikings. He was 13-19 in 2009-10 and led PSU to the Big Sky Tournament semifinals. In 2010-11, his Vikings were 14-16 overall.
    
Geving is 14-14 all-time in non-conference games. He is 13-21 all-time against Big Sky Conference opponents.
    
Geving is a 1996 graduate of Central Washington and has been in collegiate coaching for 17 years.
    
The third-year Head Coach is assisted by Andy McClouskey (2nd year, Oregon State, 1982), Eric Harper (7th year, Central Washington, 1995) and Anthony Owens (3rd year, Great Falls, 2006). Former Viking player Mickey Polis is the Director of Operations (3rd year, Portland State, 2009).

QUICK NOTES FOR 2011-12
• Portland State returns two starters and three letterwinners from the 2010-11 squad. Seniors Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott will lead the Vikings in 2011-12. Odum, a guard, was a second-team All-Big Sky Conference selection last year, averaging a team-best 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and shooting 52% from the field. Tapscott, a forward, averaged 11.8 points and 8.1 rebounds to rank second in the Big Sky Conference.
• Among six National Letter of Intent signees, the Vikings should have addressed their needs coming into the season. Point guard Lateef McMullan, a transfer from Citrus JC, is the quick playmaker the Vikings need. Freshman guards Gary Winston and Jerron Smith have the scoring ability necessary at the off-guard spot. Junior forward Martin Whitmore brings three-point scoring ability the Vikings need to replace with the graduation of Melvin Jones and Phil Nelson. Junior forward Michael Harvey brings supreme athleticism as a slasher and the ability to defend a number of positions. Freshman forward Kidus Ephrem is an athletic player that will lend depth to the Vikings inside. Sophomore Dre Winston, a transfer from Washington State who will redshirt in 2011-12, may be the point guard of the future for the Vikings.
• Three redshirts figure to make significant contributions in 2011-12: JR G Michael Harthun, JR F Renado Parker and FR C Brandon Cataldo. Harthun transferred from Washington State where he played two seasons and should fit nicely in the shooting guard role. Parker played at North Idaho JC and brings a powerful post presence despite being only 6-5. Cataldo is a promising 6-10 center who spent last year getting his game and body in better condition after missing most of his senior year in high school with a broken leg.
• PSU loses five seniors from the 2010-11 squad: guard Melvin Jones (11.5 ppg, 2.4 apg, 72 3-pt FG), forward Tree Thomas (9.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg), forward Phil Nelson (6.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg), forward Paul Guede (4.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and guard Alonzo Brandon (1.6 ppg). In addition, sophomore guard Chris Harriel (12.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) elected to transfer following the season and junior guard Dane Johnson (2.8 ppg, 2.9 apg) elected not to return.
• With a 72.3 scoring average in 2010-11, Portland State led the Big Sky Conference in scoring offense for the fourth straight year. Scoring meant winning for the Vikings. PSU was 8-1 in games in which it scored at least 80 points.
• Head Coach Tyler Geving begins his third season at the helm in 2011-12. The Vikings improved from 13-19 in year one to 14-16 in year two under Geving despite playing two fewer games. He spent four seasons as an assistant at PSU before being named Head Coach.
• The modest improvement in wins was significant for the Vikings as they lost 33 games to injuries to four different players in 2010-11. Included was Chehales Tapscott missing six games during the middle of the season with a knee injury (and surgery). Phil Nelson, expected to be a top scorer for the Vikings, missed he first 14 games with a broken foot. PSU played 13 games with just nine available players.