We continue our recruit and return series with the Oregon State Beavers, whose season ended Friday with a loss to VCU in the first round of the NCAA tournament. A look at what the 2016-17 season could hold:
Possible 2016-17 starting five (statistics reflect regular-season average)
G: Malcolm Duvivier (6.1 PPG, 2.2 APG)
G: Derrick Bruce (3.0 PPG, 1.2 APG)
G: Stephen Thompson Jr. (10.7 PPG, 1.8 RPG)
F: Tres Tinkle (13.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG)
C: Drew Eubanks (7.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG)
Who is lost: The story of Gary Payton II was fun to watch over the past two seasons. The junior college star arrived in Corvallis before the 2014-15 season, and immediately became one of the most dynamic players in the Pac-12. Payton was an excellent defensive player and had his share of highlight-reel transition dunks. He was also one of the best rebounding guards in the country and could get into the lane against nearly any defender. He’s essentially irreplaceable for Wayne Tinkle. There are several other rotation players moving on. Olaf Schaftenaar started every regular-season game inside, while Langston Morris-Walker and Jarmal Reid were the first two players off the bench in the frontcourt.
Who is added: Tinkle isn’t bringing in as deep a freshman class as he did in 2015, but the three-man group coming to Corvallis should shore up some spots in the rotation. Three-star point guard JaQuori McLaughlin had a weird recruitment -- one that included a commitment to Oregon State back in September 2013, followed by a decommitment when Craig Robinson was fired, a commitment to Washington and then a decommitment from the Huskies just to return to Oregon State. He’s a long and lean point guard who will push for a starting job in the backcourt right away. Three-star center Ben Kone' has a college-ready body with length and athleticism. Given the frontcourt losses, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Kone' get a look. Junior college transfer Keondre Dew is a high-motor player on the wing who was a high-major prospect coming out of high school.
What it means for next season: There are plenty of personnel losses from this season’s team, but the freshman tandem of Stephen Thompson Jr. and Tres Tinkle remains intact. Despite starting just two regular-season games, Thompson Jr. showed confidence from day one, and was able to score off the bounce or from the perimeter; he also was active on the defensive end and came on strong toward the end of the regular season. Tinkle is a matchup problem for opponents given his 6-foot-8 size and mix of athleticism and shooting ability. He started to hit his stride in Pac-12 play and could be headed for an all-conference campaign next season. Canadian guard Malcolm Duvivier started every game as a junior, and while his numbers fell off from his sophomore season, he’ll be back in the lineup next season. Derrick Bruce will push for more minutes in the backcourt, while redshirt freshman Kendal Manuel will get a chance after missing 2015-16 with a broken leg. Drew Eubanks had some big games late in the season, and will continue to develop in Corvallis. The in-state freshman has bright days ahead of him.
Trending: Down. There are certainly some bright spots on the roster. Thompson, Tinkle and Eubanks all had very good freshman seasons, and will only get better. With Payton II out of eligibility, all three will need to take on bigger responsibility during their sophomore seasons. The key for the Beavers will be replacing Payton -- and also finding some frontcourt help to ease the pressure on Eubanks. "Down" could be the wrong call if the rising sophomores take the next step.