Colorado Basketball: Four Freshmen Accept Practice Roles
With the season opener approaching, Chase Hill, Amir Jones, Rider Portela, and Eric Jacobsen are preparing to serve as the team's primary bench depth.
By Adewale Rousseau ·
Colorado men's basketball reached the 10-day mark before its season opener on Friday. The Buffs host Abilene Christian on Nov. 2, starting the 17th season under head coach Tad Boyle.
Unlike last year, when 11 players appeared in at least 20 games and seven made starts, this roster is thinner. Last season Colorado went 7-11 in the Big 12 while finishing 17-16 overall. This year, the rotation will likely rely on a smaller group of experienced players.
Guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders, and Ian Inman, along with forwards Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual, and David Gomez, are expected to form the core rotation. Gomez may see limited minutes while recovering from foot surgery performed last year.
Four freshmen have effectively signed on to serve as practice players for the 2026-27 season. Forward Chase Hill and forward Eric Jacobsen, along with guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, joined the roster through different paths. Portela, a wing from Phoenix, signed last November. The other three were late additions last spring.
Hill, whose father is the all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Trinity University and whose grandfather helped recruit Boyle to Kansas 45 years ago, said his goal is simple. "Just develop," Hill said. He noted that he could have gone to Division III and transferred later but chose Colorado to grow over four or five years.
Jacobsen, a 6-foot-1 post from Colorado Springs who played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, admitted the limited role was difficult at first. He added, "I'm realizing I can go as hard as I can every single day and I don't really have anything to lose. Just trying to earn what I can."
Boyle said the situation is fluid and that the freshmen have the capability but lack consistency due to their youth. He pointed to Jones having a strong practice on Friday and noted that Jacobsen and Hill have also performed well. Boyle wants the players ready mentally if called upon, noting their standing in December could differ from mid-to-late October.
Source: The Denver Post
