Oregon State Basketball: An Early Lookahead To The 2018-2019 Roster

What does next year hold in store for the Beavers?

By The_Coach May 1, 2018, 4:00pm PDT

NCAA Basketball: Oregon State at Washington State

Who’s Gone

Seth Berger (Graduation): The UMASS graduate transfer became a fan favorite for those in Beaver Nation with his hard-nosed style of play, despite not being a huge statistical producer.

Drew Eubanks (NBA Draft): Eubanks jumped early from Oregon State, in hopes of hearing his name called on draft day. Currently, he’s projected as a second round or undrafted prospect.

Ben Kone (Transfer): The 6’ 8” forward showed flashes of brilliance, but Kone never became the reliable front-court piece that head coach Wayne Tinkle was expecting to add to the mix.

Kendal Manuel (Transfer): Manuel never truly found his role with the Beavers, after getting off to a rough start in Corvallis due to injuries, in addition to dealing with a few off-court issues, as well.

Tanner Sanders (Retirement): The do-it-all athlete tried to help the Beavers in any way he could on the hardwood, but that never amount to much of a substantial role. He’ll be a minimal loss for the squad.

Ronnie Stacy (Graduation): Stacy was essentially the back-court version of Kone, whose impact was always waiting to happen. An inconsistent shot didn’t help the guard find regular court-time.

NCAA Basketball: Oregon State at Arizona State — Drew Eubanks decision to turn pro early leaves a void in Oregon State’s roster.

Who Could Leave

Tres Tinkle (NBA Draft): It seems more than unlikely considering Tinkle has flourished playing a free-role under his father and is almost nowhere to be found on draft boards, but crazier things have happened.

Stephen Thompson Jr. (NBA Draft): Thompson Jr. is in a similar boat to Tinkle (in terms of playing for his father) and probably needs another stellar season to sneak into the second round of next year’s NBA Draft.

NCAA Basketball: Arizona at Oregon State — Stephen Thompson Jr. could be in for an All-Pac-12 type of season in 2018-2019.

Who’s Coming Back

Alfred Hollins (Sophomore): Hollins could play a much bigger role than expected with Drew Eubanks jumping early to the NBA. Don’t be surprised if the 6’ 6” swingman is the team’s most improved talent.

Gligorije Rakocevic (Senior): The heart and soul of the Beavers, nobody brings energy to the floor quite like “Big G” does. He’ll be a reliable veteran presence on a team inspired by youthful contributors.

Zach Reichle (Sophomore): A sharpshooter who will only get better in time, Reichle is out to prove there’s more to his game than stroking the long ball. Expect him to fill a bigger role in 2018-2019.

Ethan Thompson (Sophomore): The former four-star prospect did nothing but follow in the huge footsteps of his brother in his first season in Corvallis. He should solidify himself as option #3 next season.

NCAA Basketball: Pac-12 Conference Tournament-California vs Oregon State — Gligorije Rakocevic will be the anchoring muscle in the Beavers front-court.

Who’s New

Kylor Kelley (Junior): It’s been awhile since Kelley orginally committed to Oregon State but as he got his act together, the Beavers stood by the seven-foot prospect. He’ll add much-needed depth to the front-court.

Warren Washington (Freshman): A bit of a mystery depending on who you ask, Washington may be the perfect firecracker to spark some life into what has been a putrid Oregon State bench unit.

Jack Wilson (Freshman): The coveted option in the Beavers 2018 recruiting haul, the hype around what Jack Wilson can bring to Corvallis has been brewing for years. He’ll have big shoes to fill from the get-go.

Wayne Tinkle is hoping that seven-footer Kylor Kelley was well worth the wait.

A Potential Starting Five?

Guard: Stephen Thompson Jr. (15.8 PPG, 3.3 APG)

Guard: Ethan Thompson (9.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG)

Wing: Alfred Hollins (5.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG)

Forward: Tres Tinkle (17.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG)

Center: Gligorije Rakocevic (2.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG)

What To Expect

The obvious goal for Oregon State is to grow from last year’s 16-16 campaign, which would mean a win total that hovers around the twenty-something mark and pushes the Beavers into the NCAA Tournament conversation. However, how much of a reality that is at the moment, is still left to be answered.

While talents like Tres Tinkle and Stephen Thompson Jr. will be a year older, wiser and simply better, the loss of a gifted piece in the middle of a roster like Drew Eubanks can be devastating to a growing roster. Ethan Thompson may fill a third option role, but will it be out of necessity or a true betterment of the team?

The bench will undoubtedly be stronger for Wayne Tinkle, which may help with consistency, especially in terms of some valuable scoring weapons. Zach Reichle is a reliable shooter who has added to his game during his short time in Corvallis, while new pieces like Jack Wilson and Warren Washington may be ready for the spotlight sooner rather than later.

But now it’s time to ask you Beaver Nation. With the college basketball season still months away, what do you think of the early projections of the 2018-2019 Oregon State depth chart? Let us know below in the comments section.