Pac-12 Basketball: Strengths and weaknesses of each team for 2020-21 season
10. Oregon State Beavers
Projected Starters:
G: Ethan Thompson, 6’5 Sr. (14.8 ppg, 4.5 apg)
G: Zach Reichle, 6’5 Sr. (7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
F: Alfred Hollins, 6’6 Sr. (5.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
F: Maurice Calloo, 6’10 Jr. *sat out last season
C: Roman Silva, 7’1 Sr. (1.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg)
Wayne Tinkle now has to remember what it’s like to not be able to count on 20+ from your son night-in and night-out. The loss of Tres Tinkle cannot be understated, and what he and Kylor Kelley brought to this team was huge. Oregon State finished at18-13 last season but ended on a high note when fans saw Jarod Lucas sink a game-winning 3-pointer against Utah in the conference tournament.
The Beavers have only finished with a winning Pac-12 record once in coach Tinkle’s six years, and if this year is going to be any different, Ethan Thompson has to be sensational.
Strengths: When it comes to this year’s squad, the conversation starts and ends with senior guard Ethan Thompson. Thompson is the sixth-highest scoring returnee in the Pac-12. He also is the top returning rebounder for the Beavers. He is undoubtedly one of the best players in the conference; an absolute gamechanger.
Zach Reichle, Thompson’s partner in crime in the backcourt, returns as a senior as well this season. Reichle scored a career-high 19 points against Colorado last season, and we expect to see a few more days like that for him this year. At times he can be a three-point threat and handles the ball with care (1 to/gm).
Adding depth in the backcourt is Jarod Lucas, who shot 35% from three as a freshman last season. Lucas carved out more time as the season went on, and will be vying for a starting role this year. Transfer Tariq Silver shot three’s at a 45% clip last year at Tallahassee CC, and with all of Tinkle’s shots available, we expect Silver to get his share.
Weaknesses: The frontcourt could really see some problems this season. They lost their two top rebounders in Kylor Kelley and Tinkle, from a team that was already one of the worst rebounding teams in the conference. They look to replace those two with three small school transfers. At center the Beavers will count on senior Roman Silva to take the main stage and fulfill Kelley’s role defensively. Besides Silva, there is essentially zero returnees down low.
The Call: The backcourt is ready for the next step, the frontcourt is not. If one or two of the Junior College big men step up to the challenge, this team could be more towards the middle of the pack. More than likely, Ethan Thompson shines in his senior season, but it’s not enough to turn a lot of heads towards Corvallis. Wayne Tinkle will begin to feel his seat getting warmer after another lackluster year.