Staveskie finds home at Cleveland State

It's been five years since Tahj Staveskie was burying deep 3-pointers for Sandusky High School. Since then, the high-scoring guard has played at three different schools and has welcomed two sons into the world. Staveskie is now 23 years old. Much has changed in Staveskie's life, but one thing has been a constant — he's always been able to shoot the basketball. After two seasons at Canisius University, Staveskie has landed at Cleveland State University. He is making an impact in his first season with the Vikings, averaging 15.4 points in his last five outings. Staveskie scored 21 points in a win last Saturday at Youngstown State. The 80-72 road victory gave CSU sole possession of first place in the Horizon League. The Vikings are 12-6 overall and 6-1 in conference play. They have won eight games in a row, but there is more work to be done. "We're feeling really good," Staveskie said Monday. "We've been getting a lot of 'good jobs' and pats on the back, but we want to win out if we can. The win streak is nice, but it's not the end goal." Staveskie has started all 18 games for CSU and averages a team-high 30.7 minutes per game. He is averaging 11.6 points for the season. He started slow after sitting out all but two games last season with a lower leg injury, but has hit double digits in scoring in five of the last six games. "Coming off not playing last year, it took some time to get back," Staveskie said. "I knew there would be highs and lows. I'm playing more off the ball now and it's taken time to adjust. "I'm a completely different player. My shots were rushed at the beginning of the season. Now I've got my legs and I'm playing at my own pace." Staveskie made four 3-pointers against Youngstown State, including a timely 3 on an inbounds play that gave the Vikings a four-point lead with 3 minutes to play. CSU, which found itself in an early 11-2 hole before rallying, led the rest of the way. "We stayed relaxed and calm and went on our run," Staveskie said. The 6-foot-1 Staveskie graduated from Sandusky in 2020 and attended Spire Academy in Ashtabula County for a year. He was a first team All-Ohio selection in Division II after averaging 25.6 points per game as a senior with the Blue Streaks. Canisius, located in Buffalo, N.Y., offered him an athletic scholarship and he took a medical redshirt season due to a broken foot in 2021-22. The next season, he averaged 12.4 points per game and was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. Staveskie ended up taking another redshirt last season after playing only two games. A bone bruise ended up derailing his season. "I was playing on it; I decided to play and made it worse," he said. "They didn't know what it was at the time." At the end of the 2023-24 season, Canisius head coach Reggie Witherspoon was fired and Staveskie's basketball career was in limbo. He decided to enter the transfer portal. "Me and my teammates thought it was best to see if we could find better options instead of waiting to see what the new coach had to say," he said. It didn't take long for schools "from every level" to contact Staveskie. He ended up visiting Cleveland State last April and saw a perfect match. "It was better than I expected. They showed a lot of love," he said. "It's like being at a high major. We have the best staff, top to bottom, from the head coach to the managers and GAs. "It's like a whole family here. They really love basketball and everyone is committed to the same goal — to win championships and play in March Madness." Daniyal Robinson is in his third season as CSU's head coach and has a strong 54-35 record. "He works hard and grinds," Staveskie said. "He's definitely the most focused and hard-working coach and our team is a reflection of him — the way we defend and play offense." Staveskie is majoring in sports management and minoring in communications. He started classes this semester Monday and enjoys living in Cleveland, which is an easy drive to Sandusky. His girlfriend and two sons (ages 1 and 3) are regulars at CSU home games. The next one is Wednesday when the Vikings host Northern Kentucky. "It's nice being close. I see them every home game," Staveskie said. "They have a blast running around. My girlfriend has jerseys for them. They look like me running around. They think this is home." So does their father. "I had the feeling that I knew this was the place when I visited," he said. "They're trying to win championships. That's why I came to Cleveland State."