CORVALLIS, Ore. – Tres Tinkle is returning to Oregon State.
After testing the NBA Draft waters, the former Missoula Hellgate High School star announced he is returning for his final season at OSU. Tinkle announced his return Friday on his Twitter account, posting a photo of himself in his No. 3 Beavers jersey and writing, “One last go around”.
One last go around 🖤🧡 @BeaverMBB pic.twitter.com/WzonfzOQPW
— Tres Tinkle (@tres_tinkle3) May 25, 2019
Oregon State later confirmed the announcement.
“After a lot of thought, and talking to those closest to me, I have decided to return to Oregon State for my final year,” Tinkle said in an Oregon State social media post. “I strongly believe it will put me in a better position to be successful in the future. The relationships I’ve developed and the mentorship I’ve received have been nothing less than spectacular. There are still a lot of things I want to accomplish in my collegiate career, and I am motivated to strive for the goals I have set for myself and our team. I’m very excited for the upcoming season and the opportunity to play for Beaver Nation once again.”
Under NCAA and NBA rules, college basketball players are permitted to enter the NBA Draft while maintaining the option to return to college. The deadline for players to withdraw from the Draft and return to school is May 29.
Tinkle was a first-team all-Pac-12 selection for the second consecutive season after averaging 20.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals during his redshirt junior season. He was the only player in the Pac-12 in the top 10 in the league in all four categories. Tinkle has scored in double figures in 65 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the country. He is currently seventh on Oregon State’s career scoring list with 1,661 points and ninth on the program’s career rebounding list with 670 boards.
A native of Missoula, Tinkle was a two-time Montana Gatorade player of the year while playing at Hellgate. He helped lead the Knights to the Class AA state championship in 2013, a runner-up finish in 2014 and a third-place trophy in 2015.
As a high school junior during the 2013-14 season, Tinkle averaged 21.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game. During a sensational senior season, Tinkle contributed 24.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. He finished his high school career with a Hellgate-record 1,544 points.
A highly sought recruit out of high school, Tinkle joined the men’s basketball program at Oregon State, where his father, Wayne, was named the head coach after an impressive tenure at Montana. Tres Tinkle battled injuries early in his OSU career but has developed into one of the league’s best players.
Oregon State is coming off a season in which it compiled an 18-13 overall record, including a 10-8 mark in the Pac-12 Conference.
The 2019-20 NCAA Division I men’s college basketball season is scheduled to begin Nov. 5.
