Bronco basketball is back! Santa Clara men’s basketball takes on Stanford in an exhibition matchup on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. at Leavey Center. With a new-look roster taking the court, the Broncos will get an early opportunity to test their lineup against Bay Area rivals before the regular season begins.
Santa Clara leads the all-time head-to-head 3-2. In the teams’ most recent meeting at Leavey Center on Nov. 23, 2024, the Broncos fell by just two points after Stanford erased a double-digit deficit.
As the Broncos prepare for another season, here’s a recap of last year’s postseason run, the players who have moved on and the newcomers joining the program.
A Season for the Record Books
During the 2025-26 season, Santa Clara punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years, where they were set to face Kentucky in a first round matchup.
The game was a back-and-forth battle, keeping the score close throughout. A thriller buzzer-beater from Allen Graves put the Broncos up by 3 points with 2.4 seconds left in regulation. On the sideline, head coach Herb Sendek appeared to call a timeout, but it was not granted. Unable to set the Broncos’ defense, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh scored a buzzer-beating three in regulation to send the game to overtime. The Broncos continued to fight but ultimately fell to the Wildcats 89-84.
Santa Clara also advanced to the WCC Championship final in Las Vegas. The No. 3 Broncos defeated No. 2 Saint Mary’s 76-71 in the semifinals, fueled by an impressive 23-point performance from Sash Gavalyugov ’28.
After knocking down a 3-pointer to put Santa Clara ahead 76-71, Gavalyugov celebrated with Steph Curry’s signature “Night Night” gesture, sealing the Broncos’ victory. The win also marked head coach Herb Sendek’s 600th career win.
Santa Clara ultimately fell to No. 1 Gonzaga 79-68 in the championship game.
The Broncos finished the regular season 26-9 (15-3 WCC), placing third in WCC standings. The postseason run featured several impressive performances, but the Broncos will begin the new season with major changes to their roster.
Key Departures for the Broncos
Forward Allen Graves contributed heavily to Santa Clara’s success last season, averaging 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game. He shot 51% from the floor and 41% from the 3-point range. The Toronto Raptors selected Graves with the 19th overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Brenton Knapper ’25 also helped lead the Broncos to the NCAA Tournament and WCC Championship final. He has since signed with KK Igman Burch to continue his career in the Bosnian Premier League.
Christian Hammond averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting 39.3% from beyond the arc across 34 games. After receiving multiple offers, Hammond transferred to NC State.
Center Bukky Oboye was a key piece on the defensive end for the Broncos, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots, before transferring to Auburn University.
Meanwhile, Jake Ensminger ’26 is set to play his final season at Santa Clara after redshirting his first year due to an injury. He was a solid contributor—scoring a season-high of 14 points in the NCAA Tournament.
Another major offseason storyline focuses on Elijah Mahi ’26, who is seeking to return to Santa Clara for a potential fifth year of eligibility. Mahi spent two seasons at West Valley College before playing two seasons with the Broncos.
According to Santa Clara Athletics, Mahi is not currently listed on Santa Clara’s roster and will not be playing in Saturday’s matchup. Although one of the 15 roster spots appears to be unfilled, his eligibility status and potential return remain unclear.
New Faces in the Bronco Roster
Santa Clara nailed several solid new recruits in the offseason to round out this year’s lineup, bringing in a mix of first-years and transfers.
First-year Brayde Kuykendall ’30, who grew up in the Bay Area, said choosing Santa Clara felt natural. In an interview with Santa Clara Athletics, he mentioned “I chose Santa Clara because of the coaching staff and because of their proven history in producing NBA players.”
He is looking forward to taking the floor at Leavey Center for the first time. “I watched a lot of the home games last year, so it’s going to be such a cool experience to play there on my own now,” said Kuykendall.
Transfer Fedor Zugic brings international experience to Santa Clara. A native of Montenegro, Zugic previously played two years for Creighton, where he earned a spot in the starting lineup against UConn on Feb. 18. He currently holds a roster spot on the senior Montenegrin team and has been helping the team earn a spot in the 2027 FIBA World Cup.
David Castillo joins the Broncos after playing guard at Kansas State. In his second season with the Wildcats, he averaged 10.3 points per game and shot 35.2% from 3-point range.
Santa Clara also added Sidi Gueye, who transferred from the University of Arizona. Gueye saw limited playing time during his first season but arrived in college as a top-200 recruit out of high school.
Looking to the Future
With the season right around the corner, Santa Clara will have its first opportunity to display the new lineup against Stanford at Leavey Center on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.
The Broncos will then travel to face Utah State on Saturday, Oct. 24th for their season opener. Following last season’s impressive run to the WCC Championship final and standout NCAA Tournament appearance, Santa Clara begins the new season looking to carry that momentum forward.