Colorado Basketball: Four Freshmen Assigned to Practice Roles Ahead of Season

The Colorado men's basketball team will field a nine-player rotation for the 2026-27 season, leaving four freshmen on the practice squad.

The Buffs opened the season last year with 11 players appearing in at least 20 games and seven players starting at least 10 contests. This year, head coach Tad Boyle has narrowed the group to nine players. The likely lineup includes guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders, and Ian Inman, along with forwards Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual, and David Gomez.

Forward David Gomez is expected to see limited minutes early in the season due to a continued recovery from foot surgery performed a year ago. The four freshmen assigned to practice roles are forward Chase Hill, guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, and forward Eric Jacobsen.

Portela, a wing from Phoenix, signed with Colorado in November 2025. The other three joined the roster in the spring of 2026. Jacobsen played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire after moving to Colorado Springs from the Midwest. Hill comes from a basketball coaching family, as his father is the all-time winningest women's coach at Trinity University and his grandfather was a longtime NBA coach.

Hill stated that his primary goal is to develop his skills over the next four to five years. He noted that he could have attended a Division III school with the same intent but chose Colorado first. Jacobsen admitted that accepting a limited role was challenging initially. He said he is now focusing on working hard daily without the pressure of guaranteed playing time.

Boyle described the situation as fluid, noting that the freshmen have the talent but lack consistency due to their age. He pointed to recent practices where Jones, Jacobsen, and Hill showed improvement. The coach emphasized that their standing in December could differ significantly from their status in October, urging them to stay mentally ready for potential playing time.

The team hosts Abilene Christian on November 2 to begin its 17th season under Boyle. Last season, Colorado finished with a 17-16 record and went 7-11 in the Big 12 conference.