Busting Brackets
Fansided

WCC Basketball: Gonzaga finally has challengers

By Doug Winkey

March 8, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few speaks to the crowd against the Saint Mary's Gaels after the game in the finals of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
March 8, 2016; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few speaks to the crowd against the Saint Mary's Gaels after the game in the finals of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 9, 2016; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Chase Fischer (1) drives past San Francisco Dons forward Chase Foster (22) during the second half at Marriott Center. Brigham Young Cougars won the game 102-92. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Chase Fischer (1) drives past San Francisco Dons forward Chase Foster (22) during the second half at Marriott Center. Brigham Young Cougars won the game 102-92. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /

9. San Francisco Dons

2015-2016 record: 15-15 overall (8-10 WCC)

Head coach: Kyle Smith (first year)

Key losses: Devin Watson, Tim Derksen, Uche Ofoegbu, Dont’e Reynolds, Montray Clemons

Key returning players: Ronnie Boyce, Chase Foster, Nate Renfro, Matt McCarthy

Newcomers: Jordan Ratinho, three-star guard Charles Minlend Jr., Remu Raitenen, Chase Anderson, two-star center Jimbo Lull, Frankie Ferrari (transfer from Cañada [CA] College)

Kyle Smith takes over the Dons after a 25-win season with Columbia. He inherits a roster that has just their third, sixth and seventh leading scorers back. Had Devin Watson, Uche Ofoegbu and Dont’e Reynolds elected to not transfer, this team could have pushed for a top-5 finish. Without them, a fight to stay out of last place is more realistic.

It’ll be up to the team’s lone senior Ronnie Boyce to keep San Francisco relevant. The 6’3″ guard is the only player returning to averaged at least 20 minutes last year and could shoulder large parts of the young roster. He put up 11.1 points and 3.4 boards per game, but shot below 40 percent from the field.

Behind Boyce are former reserves Chase Foster, Matt McCarthy and Nate Renfro, but those three combined for just roughly 10 points a night in 2015-16. It will be interesting to see who steps up.

Of the new faces, Jordan Ratinho and Jimbo Lull could start at point guard and center, respectively. They are two of the higher-rated recruits in coach Smith’s first class. Charles Minlend Jr. will be good perimeter depth behind Boyce and Foster.

The rest of the class will likely fill in somewhere as the team finds its identity. There is some potential here, but it’s impossible to predict through a coaching transition and so much roster turnover.