CHUCK ESTER• Height: 6-foot-7• Weight: 220 pounds• Hometown: Geismar, La.• Last school: East Mississippi Community CollegeStats: Averaged 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in helping EMCC go 20-7 and reach the NJCAA Region 23 title game.
UTC forward Chuck Ester lays the ball up during the Mocs' basketball practice and their Mocs Club Basketball Open House event Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014, in Chattanooga.Editor's Note: This is the fourth and final Tuesday feature highlighting UTC men's basketball newcomers for the 2014-15 season.
There are differing versions of the origin of Davon Demarco Ester's nickname of "Chuck," which he goes by as a member of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball team.
Although it also was the nickname of his grandfather, Tofiel Ester, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound sophomore was told a different reason.
"My mom told me that was my name because I was bad like a Chucky doll," Ester said, referring to the character made famous during the "Child's Play" movie series that began in the late 1980s.
But Ester is no horror story. In fact, he's been delightfully good and consistent in UTC's preseason practices. He has solidified a position in the rotation and is competing for a starting spot entering the season opener against Hiwassee on Nov. 14.
His one year at East Mississippi Community College, the Geismar, La., native averaged 8.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game after helping Bixoli High School reach the Mississippi Class 6A final four his senior season. He was somewhat of an unknown coming in for the Mocs, and life in the NCAA Division I program didn't start out well for him.
"At first, it was very rough. I was ready to quit every day because of how hard the weights and workouts were," Ester said. "I had to adjust to being pushed as hard as I was. I always knew I could play at this level, though.
"I've been waiting for it my whole life."
Ester has been in a position battle with fellow newcomer Duke Ethridge, but the two have been seen helping each other at different points in practice, which is standard for the type of person that Ester is, according to coach Will Wade.
"Chuck's been pretty dependable," Wade said. "He's a laid-back guy, but there's more fire there than you see on the surface. He's got a good understanding of what we're doing, and he picks things up very quickly. He's been consistent -- it's one thing I really like about him -- and I hope that consistency will continue, because it's a good trait to have.
"He punches the clock every day and has been good for us -- very good."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.