Matt L. Stephens

matthewstephens@coloradoan.com

They weren’t cheers.

More of a mild golf clap.

Gian Clavell’s regular-season debut for the CSU men’s basketball team Saturday received a lukewarm welcome from the crowd of 3,114 at Moby Arena. On one hand, the Rams have their best player back. On the other, no one can be sure he won’t commit strike three.

He was the last man off the bench during the Rams’ 81-64 victory over Northern Colorado, entering the game to what some fans called a “back-handed applause” with 13 minutes, 19 seconds remaining in the first half. He finished with 15 points and the decibel level at Moby grew with each ensuing basket, but there was no questioning the doubt that shrouded the crowd.

“I think some people are conflicted about it,” said Ben Fletcher, a Colorado State University season-ticket holder. “A lot of people thought it was the end for Gian, and that’s not surprising based on the information that was initially available about what happened.

“I think if he came out, explained what happened and apologize for what he did and for putting CSU in a bad light and say that it’ll never happen again ... If he came forward like that, I think it would really help for a lot of people who are having mixed feelings about it.”

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Here’s a little advice for all of the guys out there: If she wants to go, let her go.

If you want her to stay, ask. If she still wants to leave, that’s where the interaction ends.

Always.

But twice now on record, Clavell has failed to do this. And twice, he’s been arrested on a misdemeanor charge of false imprisonment with a domestic violence enhancement. The first instance came in July 2015 when CSUPD witnessed him grab the arm of his then girlfriend outside of the university’s counseling center as she walked away, deciding she didn’t want to work on their relationship.

The second, which led to Clavell’s suspension from the first nine games of the season, happened in the Moby parking lot Nov. 9 when the same woman was trying to leave and he grabbed the backpack she was carrying, which contained her car keys.

Clavell is not a woman beater. There are no assault charges on his record. But make no mistake, he royally screwed up and deserved the suspension.

It doesn’t take raising your hand toward someone to inflict fear. The moment any man – especially a muscular, 6-foot-4 basketball player – makes a woman uncomfortable with even his words, he’s crossed the line. Clavell has made the same mistake multiple times and is now living his third chance at CSU.

It better be his last.

There’s a Clavell we know and one most of us hear about but have never witnessed.

The Clavell we see is likeable. He smiles a lot, apologizes for his broken English even though there’s no need. He’s honest with the media and doesn’t hold grudges after being critiqued. We’ve watched him around kids with a genuine joy signing autographs and playing one-on-one with seven year olds and letting them win.

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Then there are the false imprisonment charges and the well-documented concerns about anger. At 23 years of age and a college graduate working on his masters, he has to show better judgement, because once this season is over and his financial aid expires, there will be no lawyer with a history of representing CSU athletes there to help get the charges dropped like they were in 2015 and are expected to be again at his court date Monday.

“I knew he’d probably be,” said CSU fan Bobbie Pullin, who celebrated her 80th birthday on Thanksgiving. “I hope like heck that they’ve really stressed on him that if anything like that happens again between now and the end of school, no scholarship. He did the same thing last year. I think everyone feels the same way. This better be it for him.”

CSU has completed its independent student conduct review of Clavell and decided to lift his suspension, conveniently in time for the Rams’ showcase against Kansas State next week at the Pepsi Center in Denver. Fans around Moby on Saturday felt that if the results were good enough for athletic director Joe Parker, then they should suffice.

Leniency has expired. Crossing the line with a woman once is never OK; twice indicates a trend. It’s time Clavell shows us he’s the man we want to believe he is.

“Fool you once, shame on them. Fool you twice, shame on you,” CSU guard Voc Butler said after the game. “Third time? Don’t do it again.”

For insight analysis on athletics around Northern Colorado and the Mountain West, follow sports editor Matt L. Stephens at twitter.com/mattstephens and facebook.com/stephensreporting.

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