Busting Brackets
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Gonzaga Basketball: Analyzing the 2018-19 rotation for the Bulldogs

By Tristan Freeman

BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 90-84 in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 90-84 in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 03: Josh Perkins
LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 03: Josh Perkins /

Point Guard

Minutes Allocation (40 total): Josh Perkins (28), Geno Crandall (8) and Joel Ayayi (4)

For the fourth year in a row, Perkins will be the team’s starting guard in the perimeter. He already has 108 starts on his name and has been part of many great moments for the team. Last season, he posted careers highs in points (12.3) and assists (5.3 to lead the team).

He’s always been a great shooter, going at a nearly 40% clip from long-range each season. The rising senior is an underrated individual defender, capable of getting multiple steals in a given game.

One complaint about Gonzaga has in recent years has been a lack of a true backup point guard for Perkins, outside of him pairing up with Nigel Williams-Goss in 2017. In 2016, Kyle Dranginis and Eric McClellan were the backup ball handlers, along with Silas Melson this past season. None of them are great facilitators of the offense and the team suffered on that end.

That won’t be the case this time around with Crandall coming in. He led the Fighting Hawks in assists the past three years, 4.0 apg in his college career. Both of them can bring the ball up which will be great, but Perkins will be the primary facilitator due to his knowledge of the system. Crandall still has to finish up his undergraduate degree at North Dakota before he can officially join the program.

Ayayi redshirted this past season after coming over from France. The 6’5 combo guard is incredibly talented but raw and somewhat undersized. He won’t get minutes against the better teams but will see some garbage time in the WCC. After the senior guards leave, he’ll be a bigger factor for the team going forward.