WCC Basketball: Ranking of the top 25 players for 2021-22 season

By Tuck Clarry | Oct 17, 2021

Apr 3, 2021; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) celebrates during the first half against the UCLA Bruins in the national semifinals of the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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WCC Basketball Santa Clara Broncos forward Josip Vrankic James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Caleb Lohner, Bringham Young, Forward

Expect big things from Lohner in his expanded role this season. He earned All-Freshmen-Team league honors and finished his first season strong. He led the conference in effective field goal percentage and averaged 7.0 points and 7.1 rebounds.

The 6-foot-8 Texan is a force above the rim, showcasing impressive leaps throughout his first season on offense and finishing fourth in the conference in rebounds. He has the size and skills of a new age big, active on both ends and the ability to stretch the defense with a solid outside shot. He shot 33.3% on 57 attempts and should continue to improve with more reps.

Lohner started the final nine games of the Cougars season and did not shy away from UCLA’s physicality in their NCAA tournament matchup, finishing with 10 rebounds in the loss. He will likely become the main paint option for the Cougars after Matt Haarms announced his departure in the offseason.

With those added reps it’s hard not to see Lohner as one of the best big men in the conference–unquestionably one of its best rebounders–and deserving of his WCC All Team preseason honors. With the added playing time and usage he should be a special player for the Cougars for the next couple of seasons.

7. Josip Vrankic, Santa Clara, Forward

Vrankic is one of the premier post players in the WCC and returns to continue the dominant play that made him the center of the Broncos’ offense. Coming off of a 15.2 points and 8.2 rebounds season average, Vrankic could be even more dangerous with the addition of Pipes and continued improvements from Williams.

He had one of the highest usage rates in the conference, with Santa Clara playing an inside-out style with him initiating a lot of the offensive sets. That style has seen him average 2.3 assists per game the last two seasons and should see an uptick with an improved surrounding cast.

Vrankic is a brute in the paint, catching the ball in the post and backing down smaller bigs. He averaged 5.6 free throws a game and pinning fouls should continue to be a valuable asset in his arsenal. He led the league last year in defensive and total rebounds and will continue to be a menace on the glass and put in a good fight for All WCC honors once again.