Santa Clara men’s basketball moved to 2-0 this season after a dominant performance over Milwaukee at Leavey Center on Nov. 6, 2026. The Broncos led 46-27 by the half after stifling Milwaukee with 11 first-half steals, and never let off the gas.
Jumping to a 14-0 lead out the gate, Santa Clara set the tone early for an electric night. They pushed the lead as high as 28 points throughout the first half.
Grad student Jake Ensminger ’27 opened the scoring with a 3-pointer in his 100th career game, one of the Broncos’ eleven made shots from deep. Ensminger led the Broncos in scoring with 15 points (6-7 FG, 3-3 3PT), along with seven rebounds and four assists.
Despite the efficient scoring outing, Ensminger settled on his defense as the skill he’s developed most over his 100 games as a Bronco.
“Honestly, probably my defense. I think my defense got a lot better since I’ve been here,” said Ensminger.
Arizona transfer Sidi Gueye ’29 scored his first points as a Bronco, making his presence felt as soon as he touched the court. The newcomer finished with 10 points and a block in just 10 minutes of play.
Milwaukee settled down on the offensive end in the second half, but the Broncos did not let up. Santa Clara scored 49 in the second half, with David Castillo ’28 leading the way with 9 second-half points.
Brad Longcor III ’29, who redshirted last season, has been a bright spot for the Broncos early, helping fill the void left by former Bronco and current NC State guard Christian Hammond.
Longcor scored 11 points, dished out five assists, and added two blocks and a steal.
“Brad’s an outstanding player. He’s had two really good games for us, and we had two good team wins,” said head coach Herb Sendek.
Up 89-64 with two minutes and 27 seconds to play, Santa Clara emptied the bench. Center Alex Ensor ’30 rolled to the rim and threw down a slam for his first collegiate points, with guard Eli Jolin ’30 picking up his first career assist on the pass.
Jolin added another milestone, throwing down a thunderous dunk of his own for his first bucket with Santa Clara, bringing the fans to their feet.
“The freshmen, they’re really talented,” said Ensminger. “Great guys and great teammates, so I’m looking forward to their future.”
Guard Noah Badibanga ’29 continued the trend, scoring his first points with 30 seconds remaining. His basket brought the tally of Broncos scoring their first points for the program to four for the game.
Santa Clara dished out 29 assists in the win, the sixth most in program history. Star guard Sash Gavalyugov ’28 accounted for eight of those assists, a career high. Thierry Darlan ’27 also set a career high in assists with six.
The Broncos host Sacramento State on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Leavey Center, looking to continue their impressive 16-1 run at home over the past two seasons.