WCC Basketball: Breakout candidates from each team for 2019-20

By Andy Patton | Jul 18, 2019

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 21: Filip Petrusev #3 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs dunks against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights during the second half in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 21, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

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ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Filip Petrusev #3 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs drives to the basket during a practice session ahead of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament West Regional at Honda Center on March 27, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /

C Filip Petrusev – Gonzaga Bulldogs

This was perhaps the easiest one to pick on this entire list. The Zags lost two of the best forwards in school history last season when Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke became the first Gonzaga duo to get selected in the first round.

The team also lost their two point guards, Josh Perkins and Geno Crandall, to graduation – and combo guard Zach Norvell left early for the draft as well, giving Gonzaga a very new look heading into the 2019-2020 season.

It isn’t all bad. The team will return Killian Tillie, who is expected to take over as the team leader and leading scorer. Right behind him could be Filip Petrusev, a six-foot-eleven center from Serbia who was named to the WCC All-Freshman team last year despite only averaging 11.4 minutes per game.

Petrusev’s playing time changed dramatically when Tillie got hurt last year, and he showed an ability to hold his own against high-end competition, including Duke (11 points, four rebounds, one block, 5-7 shooting) and St. Mary’s (15 points, five rebounds, 5-7 shooting).

Even though Tillie is back, Petrusev is expected to start at the five-spot in place of Clarke -allowing Tillie to play the four. Petrusev’s footwork and agility is elite for his size, and while he needs to add strength to his wiry frame, Gonzaga’s coaches have long shown an ability to help big men grow into their bodies and dominate on the block, a la Kelly Olynyk, Domantas Sabonis, Zach Collins, Rui and Clarke.

Next. Breaking Down Gonzaga's 2019 Recruiting Class. dark

Petrusev looks like the next big man on that list, and his breakout should happen as soon as next year. 12-14 points, 6-7 rebounds and a block and a half per game seem reasonable from the budding star next year, and it’s possible if he dominates that next year will be his last in a Zags uniform.