Only three players on Colorado State’s current roster were at the Coors Events Center last season for the Rams’ first men’s basketball victory over Colorado in 49 years.
Center Stuart Creason scored nine points, and his current backup, Ronnie Aguilar, watched from the bench.
Adam Nigon sat in the stands with his friends, having a good time.
Never in a million years did the former Broomfield High School standout expect to play in the instate rivalry a year later when the series resumes Saturday.
“I was a spectator. I’d say ‘Why did they miss a layup?’ ” said Nigon, who has started five games for the 5-6 Rams. “I was critiquing. It’s crazy. Now I’m playing.”
The 6-foot-3 guard spent his freshman year at CSU as just another anonymous rec-league player missing high-school glory days. He decided to walk on when Tim Miles was hired in the spring.
When every CSU player who had eligibility remaining except for Creason and Aguilar left, Miles and his staff did well to assemble a roster with eight eligible scholarship players. Walk-ons weren’t a luxury; they became a must.
The Rams’ squad has three walk-ons, but only Nigon, a redshirt freshman in eligibility, has seen significant playing time (18.2 minutes a game). He’s averaging only 2.2 points, but has better than an assist per game and is third on the team with five steals.
“He’s a young kid doing all the little things right,” Miles said. “He’s not the athlete that the other guys are, but he’s doing all the right things. You need to reward that.”
No scholarship decision will be made until after the staff sees how Nigon fares in conference play, which begins Jan. 5.
Miles did not see any of Nigon’s tapes from high school but talked to his coach at a summer camp. Despite playing on the 2004 state championship team as a sophomore and making the playoffs the next two seasons, Nigon said only a Division III college came calling.
He followed his sisters and friends north to Fort Collins.
“It’s really been fun for me,” Nigon said. “I like the system and Coach Miles. I never would have imagined I’d start. I was just looking to make the team.”
With Jason Smith gone to the NBA, the Broomfield product is the only instate player in the regular rotation.
Meanwhile, Miles’ introduction to the rivalry came when he sat in the middle of a section of inebriated students at the football game in Denver.
“I kept thinking it was 11 a.m., and wondered what if would be like if the game was at 3 in the afternoon,” he joked.
The former North Dakota State coach recalled 9,000 fans being at his last game, against North Dakota.
“When we draw 9,000 for CSU-CU, I’ll start thinking it’s a good rivalry,” Miles said.
Although the Buffs (5-5) have a comparatively veteran roster, Miles see similarities in the programs.
“We both want to build programs that are exciting with players playing well,” he said. “If we do that, the rivalry will take care of itself.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
