Herb Sendek has turned the Santa Clara Broncos into a consistent force in the WCC with five 20+ win seasons in a row. However, the Broncos hadn’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 1996 until last year. Sendek led the Broncos to a 26-9 record while going 15-3 in conference, which was good enough to earn them an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament after falling to Gonzaga in the WCC Championship and defeating Saint Mary’s in the semifinals.
The Broncos put together a fantastic season. They finished 19th overall in adjusted offensive efficiency, while sending a player to the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the NBA draft. Now, with Gonzaga gone, there is no doubt that they have their eyes on returning to the Big Dance once again this season.
While there was some turnover on the roster, they were able to retain some key players, and built upon the roster with some fantastic pickups in the portal, and one of the better freshman classes you are going to see outside of the power conference ranks. Let’s take a look at how their roster is shaping up for the 2026-2027 season.
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Roster Turnover
Brenton Knapper (Ineligible)
7.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals
Juan Reyna (Ineligible)
0 points, 2 rebounds (Walk-on / 1 game)
Elijah Mahi (Senior) ~ TBD
14.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals
Brendan Yarusso (Senior) ~ TBD
2 points, 0.3 rebounds (8 games / 1.3 minutes)
Malachi Douyon (Senior) ~ TBD
DNP
Gehrig Normand (Junior) ~ SMU
DNP
Bukky Oboye (Junior) ~ Auburn
7.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Allen Graves (Sophomore) ~ NBA (Toronto Raptors)
11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals
Christian Hammond (Junior) ~ NC State
15.6 points, 3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals
When you end up finishing the season in the top-40 of KenPom, helping the WCC achieve three bids in the NCAA Tournament, and compete with Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s for the conference title, it was to be expected that there would be some turnover.
You knew that you were losing Elijah Mahi (however, he was just granted eligibility a couple of weeks ago, but I haven’t heard anything else about it), Brenton Knapper, and others. Allen Graves ended up starring in the combine, where he was selected with the 19th overall pick in the NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors. It’s not a shock that Christian Hammond went out to seek jumping to a power conference, in which he did with NC state.
Overall, despite the losses, they did a great job at retaining some key rotational pieces that are ready for their opportunity to step up in a larger role.
Returning Players
Jake Ensminger (Senior)
6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1 steal
Thierry Darlan (Senior)
6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds
Chris Tadjo (Junior)
DNP
Sash Gavalyugov (Junior)
9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Noah Badibanga (Sophomore)
DNP
KJ Cochran (Sophomore)
4.7 points, 1.4 rebounds
Brad Longcor III (Sophomore)
DNP
Francis Chukwudebelu (Sophomore)
1.4 points, 1.3 rebounds
Jake Ensminger (6’9)
Ensminger is entering year four with the Broncos after putting together his best season of his career thus far. He started and appeared in 32 games last season while averaging 6.5 points with 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and one steal per game. The 6’9 forward shot 54.1% overall and 39.8% from three-point on 2.8 attempts per game.
You aren’t going to find much of a better glue guy for a roster. In many games, he’d stuff the stat sheet in various aspects. He finished with double-digit rebounds in five games throughout the regular season and eight games with five or more assists. He finished the season with the fourth-best offensive rating in the country at 139.2 due to his extreme efficiency. His 66.8% true shooting percentage was 18th overall, while his 66.1% effective field goal percentage was 19th. His 41.2% three-point shooting percentage against Division I opponents was 118th overall, and to round out his contributions he finished with a 7.9% offensive rebounding percentage, 14.8% defensive rebounding percentage, and a 1.9% steal percentage.
Across the board, he proved to be consistent and there is no doubt that he’ll take another step forward this season with some of the turnover on the roster.
Thierry Darlan (6’8)
You might remember some controversy around Darlan regarding his eligibility last season. It was technically his first season in college basketball after playing two seasons professionally with the NBA G-League Ignite after receiving offers from some of the top programs in the country. He battled some injuries, but he ultimately ended up getting drafted in the G League draft with Rip City (the Trail Blazers affiliate). He was traded to the Delaware Blue Coats (the 76ers affiliate) where he had some fantastic games. He averaged eleven points, six rebounds, two assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
After passing through his eligibility battle, he appeared in 35 games with the Broncos last season while averaging 6.1 points with 3.6 rebounds while shooting 38.7% overall and 33.9% from three-point. The 6’8 senior is going to have an opportunity to earn a larger role this season, which should give him an opportunity to show if he can replicate and grow upon the numbers he had during his last season within the G-League.
His metrics show his improvement as the season went on. Across the board, he took a massive leap in his WCC metrics. In conference, he finished with a 109.6 offensive rating, 60.5% true shooting percentage, 19.8 defensive rebounding percentage (11th-best), 9.1 assist rate, and he shot 50% from inside on 26 attempts and 38.5% from outside on 65 attempts. Overall on the season, he had a 3.7% block percentage which was 311th best in the country.
Darlan could be in line for a breakout season with Santa Clara.
Sash Gavalyugov (6’3)
After appearing in four games with Villanova in the year prior, Gavalyugov was able to retain his freshman season of eligibility. Last year, he appeared in 35 games, starting two, while averaging nine points with 1.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. The 6’3 guard from Bulgaria shot 39.9% overall on 8.2 attempts per game and 35.8% from three-point on 5.3 attempts on average. He had some massive contributions in games throughout the season, but none better than his ridiculous 37 points with five rebounds on 14-20 shooting against Loyola Marymount. He finished a perfect 8-8 from inside the arc while draining six three-pointers in that one.
Looking at his metrics, they show a blossoming guard that is going to have the potential to leap into some serious conversations this season. He featured a 112 offensive rating, 53% true shooting percentage, 23.1 assist rate (275th overall), and a 1.5% steal percentage. In the WCC, his offensive rating jumped to 116.3, and he shot 51% from inside the arc, while draining 40% of his attempts from three-point.
With Christian Hammond gone, Gavalyugov should be sliding into an even larger role in the rotation while giving himself the opportunity to breakout and put himself on the map.
KJ Cochran (6’5)
Cochran put up a solid freshman season last year, appearing in 34 games off the bench and averaging 11.8 minutes. He finished the season averaging 4.7 points and 1.4 rebounds while shooting 43.3% from the floor and 27.1% from three-point. While his playing time was a bit sporadic, he showed some huge potential at times. He finished with ten points in their win against Minnesota, 14 points against Loyola Marymount, eleven points against San Francisco, and 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists in their second game against Loyola Marymount.
Looking at his metrics, he finished with a 112.6 offensive rating, 52.7% true shooting percentage, 7.9 assist rate, 2.2% steal percentage, and a ridiculous 67.9% shooting percentage from inside the arc.
Last season was a developmental year, and he showed that he has the potential to become a legitimate player for the Broncos. With some of the turnover on the roster, he’ll have a chance to grow into a larger role in the rotation and continue to build up his career. Cochran should be an impact player this season, so keep an eye on him.
Francis Chukwudebelu (6’10)
Chukwudebelu played a minimal role last year as a freshman, appearing in 24 games and averaging just 6.8 minutes. In that limited time, he finished the season with a line of 1.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists while shooting 48% overall and knocking down two of his five three-point attempts. Most of his production came earlier in the season either in garbage time or as a quick breather for others higher up in the rotation. He did finish with six points and three rebounds against Utah Tech in their 10-point win, and three points with four rebounds, one assist, and one block against Minnesota in 23 minutes.
We’re not going to look too much into his metrics because he had the limited playing time. However, he should have an opportunity to earn a larger role this season. At 6’10, he’s the third-tallest player on the roster behind two newcomers. They don’t have a lot of depth with height, especially depth with experience. He could end up averaging 15-20 minutes a game this season.
Noah Badibanga (6’8)
The forward out of France redshirted as a freshman last season as the coaching staff knew he wouldn’t have an opportunity to see time on the floor. He’s a bit of a raw talent, but one that has played with plenty of other players that have great pedigree. He played in the French U21 League, where, the season before he joined Santa Clara, he averaged 13.1 points with 5.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. He’s not going to jump into the starting rotation, but he should provide a depth role as he continues to develop in his first opportunity to join the rotation.
Brad Longcor III (6’4)
Coming out of high school, Longcor III had plenty of offers from some strong mid majors. As an alumnus of Quincy High School in Quincy, Illinois, many offers were from Missouri Valley Conference teams, including Northern Iowa, Illinois state, and Southern Illinois. He ended up redshirting last season for the Broncos as the roster was loaded with guards. The Broncos still have plenty of guards, but Longcor should be able to see an opportunity for some time on the court. It won’t be 15+ minutes per game, but look for him to continue to develop and position himself well for the following season.
Chris Tadjo (6’7)
Tadjo has had a bumpy journey in college basketball. He redshirted his first season, then played in just eleven games at Iowa, and then had to take a medical redshirt last season. He’s a former four-star recruit, and he has had quite the experience developing so far. He attended the NBA Academy Latin America where he reached the rank of 55th best overall prospect in the class of 2024. He obviously hasn’t had a ton of experience yet, but the raw potential is still there and that’s what Santa Clara is betting on.
Roster Additions
Fedor Zugic (Senior) ~ Creighton
5.2 points, 2 rebounds
David Castillo (Junior) ~ Kansas State
10.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Sidi Gueye (Sophomore) ~ Arizona
1.3 points, 0.8 rebounds
Eli Jolin (Freshman)
Brayde Kuykendall (Freshman)
Alexander Ensor (Freshman)
Guards
Fedor Zugic (6’6)
After spending two seasons at Creighton, the 6’6 wing is heading to Santa Clara. He’s had a long playing career already, technically dating back to the 2017-2018 season. Born in Montenegro, Zugic bounced around the European ranks, including putting up 10.3 points with 1.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists for BG Gottingen in the Germany I league in the season prior to joining the Blue Jays. Last year, he averaged 5.2 points with two rebounds while shooting 38.8% overall and 30.5% from beyond the arc on 2.8 attempts per game. Arguably his best game of the season came in their 91-84 win over #5 UConn as he finished with 14 points and five rebounds in 31 minutes of action.
In his first season, he missed 12 games as the system was trying to figure out if he was eligible or not. Last year was his first true full season, and it showed growth. As I mentioned, his best game came against UConn, but he had some other strong performances in the Big East. His metrics show that too as he finished with a 109.8 offensive rating, 61.8% true shooting percentage, 10.9% defensive rebounding percentage, 55.9% shooting percentage from inside the arc, and a 40% three-point shooting percentage in conference play.
Zugic will slot into the starting lineup this season, and he should have a huge year. He has the talent, and now he has the opportunity.
David Castillo (6’1)
Kansas State was a bit of a disaster last year, but David Castillo was a bright spot. In his second season with the Wildcats, he averaged 10.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 40% overall and 35.2% from three-point. While his production fell off in conference play, he had some big games against good competition. He finished with 16 points against California, 12 against Tulsa, 19 with three assists against Creighton, 13 against #10 BYU, and 20 against Utah. It’s going to be a tremendous help for him transferring down conferences just a shade while having a more well-rounded team surrounding him.
He featured a 103.4 offensive rating, 52.4% true shooting percentage, 10.6 assist rate, all while shooting 45.8% from inside the arc. Castillo has the potential to be a tremendous offensive weapon for the Broncos. He took a whopping 159 three-pointers vs 131 shots from inside the arc, so with more talent on the roster in a league that isn’t playing some of the top programs in the country, Castillo should be in line for a monster season.
Eli Jolin (6’7)
Coming out of high school, Jolin had one other offer from Arizona State. He played high school at Fort Erie International Academy, which is one of the best programs in Canada. He’s a tremendous offensive prospect, and while there is room for improvement on the defensive end, his offense will get him opportunities quickly.
With the others on the roster, there is a reasonable chance that Jolin effectively takes a small role at first, but he has the potential to break into the rotation as a freshman. I recommend that you check out Ethan Alexander’s breakdown of him from earlier this year as it’ll get you thinking that he might be the next Allen Graves on this roster…
Brayde Kuykendall (6’5)
Coming out of California High School in San Ramon, the 6’5 guard averaged 19.3 points with 6.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists as a senior. He’s a tremendous scorer, but more importantly, he has experience as both an off-ball and on-ball playmaker. Off-ball, he has a beautiful shot that will play so well on the catch-and-shoot. On-ball, he can lead the team while his ability to shoot draws defenders, allowing him to dish it out to a teammate.
With Zugic and Cochran most likely ahead of him in the rotation, this should be considered a developmental year for Kuykendall. That being said, I love the potential of this kid. I think he could be huge for the Broncos.
Centers
Sidi Gueye (6’11)
When you are a freshman on one of the top three teams in the country, it’s going to be difficult for you to earn a spot in the rotation unless you are a consensus first-round NBA draft pick. Sidi Gueye hails from Senegal where he was snagged by Arizona last season. He appeared in 26 games while averaging 3.4 minutes. He finished the season with a line of 1.3 points and 0.8 rebounds per game while knocking down 13-18 shots from the floor.
There is no sense looking too deep into his advanced metrics given the minimal playing time, but what’s important is his raw potential. The Broncos don’t have a lot of depth down low and Gueye could become a key piece for Santa Clara this season. He was a four-star recruit that earned a spot on Real Madrid with former NBA players like Mario Hezonja, Serge Ibaka, and Facundo Campazzo. He has the potential to not just be a star for Santa Clara, but one that can reach the next level. He has the size and the natural ability to finish at the rim, defend the paint, and rack up the boards.
Alexander Ensor (7’1)
The 7’1 center spent his senior season at AZ Compass Prep in Arizona where he competed within the Nike EYBL Scholastic. He was tremendous on the Nike EYCL circuit, finishing with a 59% shooting percentage and 29 blocks which was in the top-five of his peers. With Sidi Gueye on the roster, Ensor won’t see as much playing time as he would otherwise, but at 7’1 with a 7’4 wingspan, he’ll be seeing the court. He’s yet another, very talented freshman on this roster.
Ensor held offers from San Jose State and Boston U.
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Expectations
With the change in conference alignment, the Broncos are going to have the opportunity to compete not just at the top of the WCC, but potentially for a regular season conference title. With the turnover, they did a great job at replacing and retaining their growing talent from last season’s roster. Let’s look at what their starting lineup could look like:
Sash Gavalyugov
David Castillo / Jake Ensminger
Fedor Zugic / Jake Ensminger
Thierry Darlan / Jake Ensminger
Francis Chukwudebelu / Sidi Gueye
At the guard positions, there is a clearer picture than elsewhere. Jake Ensminger started in all of the games he appeared in last season and featured a 14.6% assist rate at 6’9. However, Sash Gavalyugov produced some fantastic numbers as just a freshman, giving him the nod at the point guard position. While producing more than Ensminger offensively, he also bested him with a 23.1% assist rate. While Ensminger has the play making ability, slotting him in as a wing that can make some noise is an ideal asset for this team. With his height and body, he can play the two, three, and four, so consider him as a lock in the starting lineup.
Fedor Zugic has experience overseas and at Creighton where he wasn’t just at the back of the bench. He has the perfect frame for a wing that can make an impact on both sides of the court. He took a huge step forward on his three-point shooting during his play in the Big East last season, and he’s poised to continue growing in the upcoming season. Look for KJ Cochran to come off the bench in an expanded role as Zugic’s backup. Cochran put together a strong freshman season, and he’ll see more playing time this season. I want him to step up and improve on his shooting from beyond the arc, but there is no doubt that Broncos’ fans are going to want him to develop into what could be a starting role for the following season.
Looking at the traditional power forward position, Thierry Darlan makes the most sense. He is 6’8, and he was able to gain some important experience last year in a role off the bench. He has a ton of room to grow offensively, in which, if he isn’t able to prove that he has that ability then he could slide out of the rotation. If someone like Chris Tadjo starts off well in a bench role, with his pedigree he could easily take over as the starter for the Broncos this season. You could also move Ensminger to this spot since he has the versatile ability to both rebound and create offense for others. However, it’s worth noting that Darlan ended up leading the team with 19 points in their 78-73 loss to San Jose State in an exhibition game. Unfortunately, it was a closed exhibition, and that was the only leaked information that I could find at the time of publishing this article.
My biggest concern is their depth at Center. They are going to have to rely on Sidi Gueye and Francis Chukwudebelu who don’t have much experience at the Division I level, let alone in an expanded role. Alexander Ensor will likely see some minutes as well as a freshman, adding to the lack of depth with experience at this position. However, with their tempo, they don’t have to have a traditional big man clogging the paint like other teams. In theory, you could run a fast lineup that has Darlan and Ensminger at the four and five, which would be a blast to watch.
Last season, the Broncos ran a quick offense with a focus on scoring from inside the arc. With the makeup of the roster, I see no difference in how Coach Sendek will want to run his team this season. While the turnover was steep, this team looks dangerous on paper. If somehow Elijah Mahi ends up coming back as he was just granted eligibility, it bumps the ceiling of this team even higher.