The WCU men's basketball team opened up the 2012-13 season officially with its first practice of the season in the Ramsey Center, Friday evening.
Notes: Transferred to Western Carolina prior to the fall of 2010 ... Due to NCAA transfer rules, sat out the 2010-11 season.
2011-12 (Redshirt Sophomore): Saw action in 27 games, all coming off the bench ... Finished with 58 points, averaging 2.1 points on 6.4 minutes averaged per game ... Shot 29.6-percent from the field including 25-percent from beyond the 3-point arc ... Had five steals and four assists on the year ... Made his WCU debut in the season-opener at South Carolina, subbing in at the 16:35 mark and playing 14 minutes, scoring six points and pulling down four rebounds ... Connected on his first field goal as a Catamount on a three-point play at 13:26 of the first half against the Gamecocks ... Came off the bench for his best all-around game against UNC Asheville where he was perfect from the field (2-2) including nailing a key 3-pointer as the Catamounts held off UNCA (12/28) ... Scored his WCU career-high 11 points in the home win over Toccoa Falls (1/17) including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line ... Made a pair of 3-pointers including a banked-shot late in overtime at UNCG (1/28) for a SoCon-best eight points ... Made three crucial free throws and pulled down three rebounds helping secure the home win over Chattanooga (2/2).
Prior to Western Carolina: Played in 20 games as a reserve at Charleston Southern during the 2009-10 season, making three starts ... Averaged 5.5 points per game while shooting 37-percent from beyond the arc with 23 made 3-pointers ... Scored a career-high 14 points against Stetson ... Suffered a sprained MCL, missing four games before returning - then suffered a season-ending broken hand.
High School: Averaged 19 points, six rebounds and three assists per game at Middle Creek HS ... Was a McDonald's All-American nominee and named first-team all-conference, as well as academic all-conference as a senior ... Shot 43-percent from behind the 3-point arc in making a school-record 87 3-pointers, while also shooting 80-percent from the free throw line as a senior ... Set the single-game record for 3-pointers made in the North Carolina / South Carolina All-Star Game ... Tied the 3-point record for the 2009 Glaxo Smith Kline Holiday Invitational with 14 made treys, tying Matt Bonner's record in earning all-tournament team honors ... Set his high school single-game scoring record with 37 points in a game ... the 97th-ranked shooting guard by ESPNU in the Class of 2009.
Personal: Is the son of Tom and Maureen Tankelewicz ... Born in July of 1991 in Philadelphia, Penn.
