Busting Brackets
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WCC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

By Tuck Clarry

Mar 9, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) is defended by BYU Cougars forward Caleb Lohner (33) in the first half of the West Coast Conference Tournament championship at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) is defended by BYU Cougars forward Caleb Lohner (33) in the first half of the West Coast Conference Tournament championship at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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WCC Basketball Santa Clara Broncos Josip Vrankic James Snook-USA TODAY Sports
WCC Basketball Santa Clara Broncos Josip Vrankic James Snook-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Santa Clara

When we talk about the conference improving, a fine example would be the roster that head coach Herb Sendek secured for the Broncos this season. In a regular year in the WCC, this Broncos team would be fighting for a top-three finish. They have the returning talent of an accomplished big man and guard and secured a dynamic point guard in the transfer portal. But this season will be an uphill fight for Santa Clara to even get a top-four seed in the WCC tournament.

The Broncos are going to continue to go through returning First-Team-All-WCC honoree Josip Vrankic. The 6-foot-9 senior averaged 15.2 points and 8.2 rebounds last season and is truly one of the last great back-to-the-basket power forwards in college basketball. Last season’s Broncos went through him on offense and it’s hard not to imagine a similar approach this year. He averaged 5.6 free throw attempts last year and excelled at getting his man in foul trouble.

Jalen Williams is the other returning major piece, a 6-foot-6 two-way guard that thrives on opponent turnovers and scoring at multiple levels of the floor. Because of the lack of surrounding shooting, Williams needed to take a lot of tough shots, ultimately hurting his efficiency. He should get more freed-up looks this season, thanks in large part to the addition of PJ Pipes.

Pipes is transferring from Green Bay after being a major piece in the backcourt for the Phoenix over four seasons. He’s a proven shooter and ball-handler, averaging 14.5 points and 3 assists last season. He shot 42.5% from three over the last two seasons, offering both the perimeter firepower and offense initiation that Santa Clara badly lacked last year.

These additions should keep the Broncos in a lot of conference games (their losses were by an average of 13.3 points), but not quite stacked enough to compete with some of the teams listed ahead of them. It will take the Broncos getting hot in the conference tournament in Vegas to get a chance to get a bid.