Patrick Tape Calls it for Duke; “This was all I ever dreamed”

The Ivy League has a rule that you cannot play as a 5th-year player, so as Patrick Tape took a redshirt season, he had to transfer. Once his season ended, a who’s who of colleges reached out to get him in their program. I mean he does the most coveted thing in basketball right now; defends from the post position. During his senior campaign at Columbia, 6’10” Patrick Tape started 21 of 27 games and played 22.7 minutes per game. He averaged 11.3 points, 67% FG, 5.9 rebounds, 1.4 Assists, 1.0 Steals, and 1.3 Blocks. In the advanced stats categories, he had a 26.4 Player Efficiency Rating with 3.6 Defensive Box Plus/Minus and 97.2 Defensive Rating.

Tape’s story is an interesting one, coming from only one offer out of high school to committing the blue blood of all blue-bloods as a graduate transfer. It was a bit perplexing, coming out of high school, how could Patrick Tape have a single offer, Columbia? Tape was a lengthy, mobile and athletic 6’9” center. He averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks and 4 assists (according to high school coach) his senior season while leading Queens Grant to 22 wins and a Conference Championship. Although a 1A program, Queens Grant is in Matthews, North Carolina, so not out of the way.

Even during high school, you could see that Tape was a special player on the defensive end. After watching him at the 2015 Phenom’s Tip-Off Classic (also the event Columbia saw him and offered him), Jamie Shaw wrote, “The improvement of Patrick Tape has been immense. Elite rim protector, good footwork and touch. He and Jay Huff are both tall, long and active. Huff is committed to UVa and Tape could be this year’s version of Huff, recruitment wise.”

Patrick was coached in high school by Jay Forsythe, we reached out to Coach Forsythe this evening to let us know what he thought about Tape, “Patrick is a great guy from a great family. He’s very smart and a hard worker. As a player, he’s great around the basket and finishing over both shoulders. He is a tenacious rebounder and shot-blocker as well. Most people don’t realize how great of a passer he is out of the post. I am really excited to see him play for Duke next year.”

We were able to get up with Tape shortly after he committed to Duke …

PHR: Congrats on Duke! What was it about that program that locked you in?

Tape: Thank you! Mostly it was just the opportunity to play for the greatest coach ever and being able to maximize my basketball potential while also having my family around.

PHR: How does it feel to have gotten only a Columbia offer out of high school, to now having the likes of Duke, Maryland, Syracuse, Ohio State, Southern Cal, and others fight over you?

Tape: It feels good just knowing that these coaches have faith in me to compete at the highest level. I have worked hard and I am looking forward to proving myself to everyone.

PHR: For those who have not seen you, how would you describe your game?

Tape: I would say that I am a low post threat, high energy guy. I am looking to expand to the perimeter more, but always looking to get better.

PHR: Being a North Carolina kid, how important was it for you to get back down to North Carolina to play your final year for one of the state’s premier programs?

Tape: It was huge for me. This was all I ever. Dreamed about as a kid. I’m just so excited to have this opportunity and look forward to making the most of it going forward.

Now, a year from now, Tape will have an undergraduate degree from Columbia and a graduate degree from Duke. As the old saying goes, let the basketball work for you.