Why Not Nico Carvacho For Mountain West Player Of The Year?
The case for Carvacho as the best in the Mountain West
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Someone other than Sam Merrill?
The Mountain West held it’s men’s basketball media day at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson, Nevada. The pre season polls and awards were unveiled to kick off the day. The team predicted to win the Mountain West Conference was no surprise the Utah State Aggies, but what may be a surprise for some is that the Aggies are the first team to ever unanimously be picked to win the conference in the pre season poll.
Not only are the Aggies predicted to have the best team in the Mountain West they also are predicted to have the best player in the league in Sam Merril. Although Merril was named player of the year last year, it will be tough for him to repeat again this year. His biggest competition in the player of the year category will come from Nico Carvacho.
Nico Carvacho was on the preseason all-conference team the only representative for the Colorado State Rams. The redshirt senior is without a doubt the best player on the Rams roster this year. He led the entire nation in rebounding with 12.9 rebounds per game last season
The near 7-footer has the potential to come back even better than last season. That is saying something considering he finished the season with 22 double-doubles breaking the CSU record for double-doubles in a season.
The key factor that will lead to Carchvo having an even better season is health. While giving an interview at media day on “The Press Box Morning Show” Head Coach of the Rams Niko Medved gave some insight on his best players injuries from last season. “We knew he had a torn labrum but had a torn rotator cuff as well,” Medved told the Press Box Morning Show.
Knowing that Carvacho will be back and at full strength this season will be scary for the competition because this a guy who can put up a 20 and 10 season.
The Rams are only projected to finish ninth in the Mountain West, but if the team can finish in the top 5 of the conference Carvacho should get some serious consideration for Mountain West Player of the Year.
Pos. Name Yr. Team
F Lavelle Scottie Sr. Air Force
G Derrick Alston Jr. Boise State
F/C Nico Carvacho Sr. Colorado State
G Sam Merrill Sr. Utah State
C Neemias Queta So. Utah State
Preseason Player of the Year
Sam Merrill, Sr., G, Utah State
Preseason Newcomer of the Year
Malachi Flynn, Jr., G, San Diego State
Preseason Freshman of the Year
K.J. Hymes, F, Nevada
