FORT COLLINS — When their guards need a breather, the Colorado State Rams (16-2) don’t just bring in reinforcements. They bring some juice.
Often there is no noticeable drop-off in ability when CSU men’s basketball coach Larry Eustachy sends in substitutes for his backcourt. And weary opponents pay the price.
On average, Colorado State’s top two reserve guards, 6-foot-4 junior Gian Clavell (10.5 points) and 6-foot sophomore John Gillon (9.1), have outscored the starters: senior Daniel Bejarano (10.8) and junior Joe De Ciman (7.2).
“When John and I come in, we tell each other that we’re not just going to try to keep things the same,” Clavell said. “We want to change the game.”
Including 6-3 sophomore Carlton Hurst and 6-7 junior swingman Fred Richardson III, Colorado State’s depth along the perimeter has been a huge weapon.
“If you look at Gian and John, they compare (favorably) to starters around the (Mountain West),” Eustachy said. “But on our team, who are they going to beat out?
“I’m sure everybody would like to start. But this is a team that plays like a team. We don’t allow selfishness. Sometimes it seems like we overpass and pass up shots.”
Coming off the bench has been an adjustment for both Gillon and Clavell. Gillon, a native of Houston, was a part-time starter as a freshman at the Division I level for Arkansas-Little Rock, where he averaged 10.6 points. In addition to having the quickest first step on the CSU roster, Gillon also entered the weekend hitting 44.7 percent of his 3-point attempts.
“John does some things that there may not be another point guard in our league can do, using his speed with the ball to get by people,” Eustachy said. “And then what makes him really dangerous is the 3-ball. He’s a great shooter. And he’s not getting beaten as bad defensively. His coach at UALR would be amazed. As a freshman there, he just stood around on defense.”
Clavell grew up in Puerto Rico and attended high school in Florida before playing junior college ball in Goodland, Kan., where he helped Northwest Kansas Technical College compile a 16-15 record in the school’s first season of basketball. Clavell followed the formula of older brother Gilberto Clavell, who also went to high school in the States and attended junior college before leading Sam Houston State to the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
“Gian just has a swagger about him, and the bigger the game the better,” Eustachy said. “He’s not afraid to take big shots. He also defends very well. He’s very physical. He brings toughness.”
Clavell said he is still learning to become comfortable as a sub. While in junior college, he averaged 16.6 points last year.
“Coming off the bench is part of my game now,” Clavell said. “I’ll find a way to win, whatever the team needs me to do. Score, rebound, get steals.”
An almost embarrassment of riches in the backcourt allows Eustachy to substitute more often. That gives CSU, which entered Saturday night’s late game at San Jose State 3-2 in league play, more options and combinations and keeps players fresher. Players can press on defense and give full effort, knowing they won’t have to play for a long stretch.
And the Rams can better overcome off nights.
“When somebody has to go out, we’re not missing anything,” Bejarano said. “They give us juice. They give us a spark.”
And to think that Colorado State’s backcourt thought it also would have 6-2 senior transfer Antwan Scott, who averaged 15.7 points per game last season at Grambling State. Scott suffered a broken foot during a pickup game in May on the Grambling campus and has been ruled out for the rest of the season after playing in CSU’s first four games.
“We’ve got a lot of guys,” Bejarano said. “It’s a big reason why we’re where we are.”
Tom Kensler: tkensler@denverpost.com or
Guards can play
The Rams’ 16-2 record entering Saturday was the best through 18 games in program history, and a big reason is the play of the team’s four guards. A look:
STARTERS
Daniel Bejarano, 6-foot-5 senior: Averaging 3.4 assists per game (leads CSU), 7.0 rebounds (second) and 10.8 points (third).
Joe De Ciman, 6-6 junior: Shooting 82.1 percent from free-throw line (leads CSU) and has a 2.2 assists-to-turnover ratio (second).
RESERVES
Gian Clavell, 6-4 junior: Has 20 steals (second) and is averaging 10.5 points per game (fourth).
John Gillon, 6-0 sophomore: Shooting 44.7 percent from 3-point range (second), has a team-high 57 assists and leads team with a 2.7 assists-to-turnover ratio.
