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The BYU basketball team's 2013-14 roster has another vacancy, with Wednesday's news--confirmed by the school--that forward Agustin Ambrosino will not return to the program for the coming season, ending his time as a Cougar after a single campaign.
BYU released no details regarding Ambrosino's departure, and his basketball-playing destination is currently unknown. Last month, fellow junior college transfer Raul Delgado left the BYU team and transferred to Division II Metro State.
Ambrosino and Delgado both joined the Cougar hoops program in 2012-13 (Ambrosino from SLCC and Delgado from Western Nebraska JC), and both struggled to acclimate themselves at the DI level. Ambrosino played in 31 of 36 games, averaging 6.2 minutes per appearance, averaging 1.8 points per game on 39% shooting (32% 3PFG). Delgado played in 26 games, averaging 6.6 mpg and 1.8 ppg; he shot 35% from the field and 26% from the arc.
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The Ambrosino departure leaves only five players from last season's team on the 2013-14 roster: Matt Carlino, Tyler Haws, Anson Winder, Nate Austin and Josh Sharp.
Brandon Davies, Brock Zylstra and Craig Cusick left as graduating seniors, Ian Harward called it quits due to a lingering back injury, Cory Calvert departed on his two-year LDS mission, with the exits of Delgado and Ambrosino capping the personnel turnover.
With five of 13 available scholarships committed to returning players, 2013-14 grants-in-aid will be awarded to:
Kyle Collinsworth (returned missionary; played in 2010-11)
Eric Mika (incoming freshman)
Luke Worthington (incoming freshman)
Frank Bartley (incoming freshman)
Chase Fischer (Wake Forest transfer; will sit out 2012-13 season)
Skyler Halford (SLCC transfer)
That makes 11 scholarships committed to the 2013-14 roster, with two remaining open.
BYU would ideally like to fill its vacancies, but only with the right players (read: forwards) in the right circumstances. At least one single-season player (fifth-year grad student transfer) would be beneficial, for the following reason: there are currently no seniors-to-be on the 2013-14 squad, and while there are two scholarship openings now, there aren't any availabilities projected for the following season, if recent commit Jake Toolson enrolls in 2014-15 as an incoming freshman:
2014-15 Scholarship Commitment Projection
Matt Carlino (Sr.)
Tyler Haws (Sr.)
Anson Winder (Sr.)
Luke Worthington (So.)
Frank Bartley (So.)
Skyler Halford (Sr.)
Kyle Collinsworth (Jr.)
Nate Austin (Sr.)
Josh Sharp (Sr.)
Chase Fischer (R-Jr.)
Jordan Chatman (Fr.)
Isaac Neilson (Fr.)
Jake Toolson (Fr.)
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That's 13 players, and 13 scholarships, meaning if BYU were to sign anyone for 2013-14, such a player(s) would ostensibly not have a grant-in-aid reserved in advance for the following season.
Of course, as the current offseason is demonstrating, attempting to project personnel movement more than a season at a time is a dodgy proposition, so a lot could and probably will change between now and 2014-15.
For now, BYU already appears deeper overall than last season's team--which had two scholarship positions left empty (those belonging to Stephen Rogers and Chris Collinsworth). As of this moment, BYU again has two scholarship openings. Whether both can or will be filled is an interesting question--one that BYU hopes to answer with at least one big body for the season to come, because right now, the 2013-14 team is a little on the small side:
2013-14 Guards/Wings
Matt Carlino
Tyler Haws
Anson Winder
Kyle Collinsworth
Frank Bartley
Skyler Halford
Chase Fischer
2013-14 Forwards/Centers
Nate Austin
Josh Sharp
Eric Mika
Luke Worthington
--
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Dave Rose is clearly not done with finalizing composition of the coming season's roster, so stay tuned for what he and BYU fans hope are some positive player developments in the weeks to come.
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Photo: Courtesy BYU Photo
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