Plenty of Rams playing overseas this summer

Colorado State basketball players, past and present, are racking up the frequent-flyer miles this summer.

Several Rams, some still at CSU and others who have moved on to the next stage of their lives, are representing their home countries in a number of different FIBA events that recently began or are about to.

Nico Carvacho, who will be a redshirt junior for CSU this season, boarded a plane this month for Chile, where he’ll join the Chilean men’s national team for a pair of FIBA World Cup qualifying games. A native of Frisco, Texas, Carvacho is eligible to play for Chile since his father, Eddie, is from there.

Chile will play Colombia on Friday and Venezuela on Monday to wrap up the first round of qualifying in the Americas division.

Chile is clinging to the third and final qualifying spot in a fourteam group that also includes Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia. This in the third and final window of the first round of qualifying that began last November and continued in February. The second round of qualifying is in September, November and February, followed by the World Cup next August in China.

Gian Clavell, who was named the Mountain West player of the year with the Rams as a senior in 2016-17, is representing his native Puerto Rico in the same event with games against Cuba on Thursday and Mexico on Sunday. Clavell, who appeared in seven games with the Dallas Mavericks last season, will also play for the Golden State Warriors’ summer league team.

Clavell is averaging 12.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in four qualifying games in the tournament, including a 23-point performance against the United States in February.

Across the pond, a pair of CSU women’s players are set to compete in the U20 European Championships. Lore Devos will be suiting up for Belgium in the Division A tournament in Sopron, Hungary, beginning July 7. CSU teammate Lena Svanholm will represent Denmark in the Division B championship taking place at the same time in Oradea, Romania.

Meanwhile on the western edge of the continent, a number of former Rams are taking part in the Women’s European Championship of Small Countries, which began Tuesday in Ireland. Former CSU standouts Emilie Hesseldal, Gritt Ryder and Sofie Tryggedsson are all playing together for Denmark while one of their past teammates, Stine Austgulen, is representing Norway.