A Way-Too-Early Look At The Colorado State Rams
There is plenty to be excited about for Rams fans next season, as they return a quartet of starters from a top-5 Mountain West team.
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With out without Nico Carvacho, this roster has talent, but if he came back that would be nice too.
Players have already accepted reality and have begun taking the next step in their careers. For some that is beginning NBA draft preparations a little earlier than expected, for others it is finishing their remaining course loads online to better gear up for next semester. Though the last group of players it is looking for their next opportunity and entering the transfer portal.
After sporting leagues around the globe either canceled or postponed their seasons in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA followed suit by outright canceling scheduled spring sports but rewarding seniors another year of eligibility to return and compete next season. This was a swift and just decision in a time of uncertainty for a lot of student-athletes, but there was still a group left in with uncertainty.
Winter sport athletes have currently been left with hope, given a ruling from the NCAA that would grant them any sort of extra eligibility given their abrupt cancellation of the big dance. So in the spirit of pure fun we will take a look at Mountain West team’s rosters for next season. Taking a look at both scenarios, just in case the NCAA surprises us.
2020-2021 Roster: In the event seniors are granted further eligibility
G Hyron Edwards 6-0 165 R-Sr. East Chicago, IN-East Chicago Central/Trinity Vallley C.C./Texas Tech
G Kris Martin 6-4 190 R-Sr. Frisco, TX-Kimball HS/Oral Roberts
F/C Nico Carvacho 6-11 245 R-Sr. Frisco, TX-Sunrise Christian Academy (KS)
G Teyvion Kirk 6-4 185 R-Jr. Joliet, IL-Joliet West HS/Ohio
G Kyle Lukasiewicz 6-6 200 Sr. Centennial, CO-Arapahoe HS/NE Oklahoma A&M*
G Kendle Moore 5-10 145 Jr. Danville, IL-Danville HS
G P.J. Byrd 6-1 185 Jr Houston, TX-Bush HS/VCU
F Adam Thistlewood 6-6 00 Jr. Golden, CO-Golden HS
G Ignas Sargiunas 6-5 205 R-So. Kaunas, Lithuania-Jonas Basanavicius Gymnasium/Georgia
G Isaiah Stevens 6-0 160 So. Allen, TX-Allen HS
F Dischon Thomas 6-9 215 So. Phoenix, AZ-Hillcrest Prep
G David Roddy 6-5 250 So. Minneapolis, MN-Breck School
G John Tonje 6-5 195 So. Omaha, NE-Omaha Central HS
F James Moors 6-10 200 R-Fr. Auckland, New Zealand
F Isaiah Rivera 6-5 185 Fr. Geneseo, IL-Geneseo HS
C Jacob Jennisen 7-0 205 Fr. Sauk Centre, MN-Sauk Centre Secondary School
G Trace Young 6-3 165 Fr. Dripping Springs HS-Austin, TX*
| Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
| Isaiah Stevens So. | Kendle Moore Jr. | Adam Thistlewood Jr. | David Roddy So. | Nico Carvacho Gr. |
| P.J. Byrd Jr. | Teyvion Kirk R-Jr. | John Toje So. | James Moor R-Fr. | Jacob Jennisen Fr. |
| Hyron Edwards Gr. | Kris Martin Gr. | Isaiah Rivera Fr. | ||
| Trace Young Fr.* | Ignas Sargiunas R-So. | Kyle Lukasiewicz Sr. * |
Things of Note:
- This team would have 16 players total with two walk-ons in Young and Lukasiewicz.
Niko Medvid has done a great job in Fort Collins in just two seasons in charge since arriving from Drake. The Rams enjoyed a top-five conference finish, 20-win season and conference accolades for multiple players.
With four returning starters and transfers Teyvion Kirk and Ignas Sargiunas eligible to play next season after sitting out 2019-2020, this team is loaded. But given the chance to welcome back one of the best big men to dawn a Colorado State uniform in Nico Carvacho, next year’s squad would challenge any in the Mountain West for the top spot.
It’s hard to say whether Carvacho or any of the three seniors scheduled to graduate this spring would be guaranteed returns next season. Carvacho already spurned high major programs when former head coach Larry Eustachy was fired after his sophomore season, would he do it again given extra eligibility? It’s hard to say.
But in the event that the NCAA rules against awarding additional eligibility for winter sport athletes, which still seems like a possibility given how long it has taken to hear any news regarding the matter. Here is a list followed by a depth chart of the Colorado State roster given their current recruiting class and who we know has entered the transfer portal.
Next: Roster and Depth Chart
This might be the actual reality for rosters come next season.
Roster and Depth Chart
G Teyvion Kirk 6-4 185 R-Jr. Joliet, IL-Joliet West HS/Ohio
G Kyle Lukasiewicz 6-6 200 Sr. Centennial, CO-Arapahoe HS/NE Oklahoma A&M*
G Kendle Moore 5-10 145 Jr. Danville, IL-Danville HS
G P.J. Byrd 6-1 185 Jr Houston, TX-Bush HS/VCU
F Adam Thistlewood 6-6 00 Jr. Golden, CO-Golden HS
G Ignas Sargiunas 6-5 205 R-So. Kaunas, Lithuania-Jonas Basanavicius Gymnasium/Georgia
G Isaiah Stevens 6-0 160 So. Allen, TX-Allen HS
F Dischon Thomas 6-9 215 So. Phoenix, AZ-Hillcrest Prep
G David Roddy 6-5 250 So. Minneapolis, MN-Breck School
G John Tonje 6-5 195 So. Omaha, NE-Omaha Central HS
F James Moors 6-10 200 R-Fr. Auckland, New Zealand
F Isaiah Rivera 6-5 185 Fr. Geneseo, IL-Geneseo HS
C Jacob Jennisen 7-0 205 Fr. Sauk Centre, MN-Sauk Centre Secondary School
G Trace Young 6-3 165 Fr. Dripping Springs HS-Austin, TX*
| Point Guard | Shooting Guard | Small Forward | Power Forward | Center |
| Isaiah Stevens So. | Kendle Moore Jr. | Adam Thistlewood Jr. | David Roddy So. | Dischon Thomas So. |
| P.J. Byrd Jr. | Teyvion Kirk R-Jr. | John Toje So. | James Moor R-Fr. | Jacob Jennisen Fr. |
| Trace Young Fr. | Ignas Sargiunas R-So. | Isaiah Rivera Fr. | ||
| Kyle Lukasiewicz Sr. * |
2021 stat projections by Bart Torvik.com
Things of Note:
- With Nico Carvacho gone there is an initial worry about a lack of size on a squad that started David Roddy at the four at times last season. But at second glance there are players with size, they are just inexperienced.
As mentioned above the only weak spot in this lineup is in the paint. It’s hard to tell if any of the three post players listed Dischon Thomas, James Moors or incoming freshman Jacob Jennisen are primed for a breakout year. But the Rams have to replace Carvacho’s production somehow and you should expect to see more four “guard” line ups next season regardless of who wins the starting five spot.
Usually the third year at a new program is a make or break kind of measurement as now you have had a chance to recruit your own players, play your style of basketball and the results are entirely your own. But given how the 2019-2020 season ended, everything must be graded on a curve going forward. It’s hard to grade incomplete work in almost any arena, especially something as result driven as college basketball, so we must wait.
In conclusion,
It’s hard to imagine a ruling in favor of extra eligibility for a sport that was let’s say 85% done? I get it, it isn’t college basketball without March Madness but to award a whole extra year of eligibility for players is hard to imagine logistically. Unlike those springs sport athletes who had their season canceled before it even got started, winter sports got to play almost an entire season before theirs was canceled.
For some teams, especially in the Mountain West, their seasons were over. We had our champion. So for everyone else, their season was actually over, barring a postseason invitation to maybe the NIT, CBI or CIT.
Don’t get me wrong I am all in favor of awarding an extra year of eligibility to guys who just didn’t get the closure they deserved. No matter how heartbreaking it may be on a court surrounded by tens of thousands of fans or watched by millions at home. It is tough that hundreds of players didn’t get to experience that.
But there is also a group of players that maybe just wouldn’t return. Some would graduate and move on while others would pursue a professional opportunity. That is their decision and I can’t wait to hear some official news so we can let them do that.
