WCC Basketball: Breakout candidates from each team for 2020-21 season

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 06: A logo for the West Coast Conference basketball tournament is shown on the court before the championship game between the Brigham Young Cougars and the Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Orleans Arena on March 6, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Bulldogs won 74-54. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

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SPOKANE, WA – JANUARY 05: Corey Kispert #24 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs (Photo by William Mancebo/Getty Images) /

WCC Basketball breakout candidate – Guglielmo Caruso (Santa Clara)

Santa Clara began the season 14-3 but finished just 6-10 in West Coast Conference play, the 20 wins were the highest total under head coach Herb Sendek, who is entering his fifth season as the Broncos’ head man. A 20-win team and only one senior on the team usually puts a team in a good position for the following season.

That would be the case for Santa Clara as their senior played in just one game, and of the four other players that made the decision to transfer this offseason, including second-leading scorer Trey Wentz, only he and guard Tahj Eaddy played significant roles.

The key to the Broncos’ team now is a trio of forwards, two seniors and a junior who have a big season for Santa Clara, Guglielmo Caruso. The 6-11 forward had his season ended after 19 games with a leg injury, prior to that he was averaging 9.7 points and 4.4 rebounds, but over the first 14 games of his season those numbers were 12.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. Before getting injured he recorded back-to-back double-doubles in wins over Cal Poly and Washington State, he recorded another against Cal and poured in 25 points in their victory over San Jose State.

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With Caruso returning healthy to rejoin Josip Vrankic and DJ Mitchell to give Sendek a trio of forwards to build his 2020-21 team around.