On Saturday, Santa Clara faced off in an exhilarating conference matchup against Washington State in Pullman. The game featured an impressive performance by Santa Clara’s Allen Graves, scoring 30 points in the win. Graves, a freshman for the Santa Clara Broncos, has quietly been making waves in college basketball due to his defensive prowess and low turnover rates. On Saturday against the Cougars, Graves took a big step, showing off his scoring ability as well.
Putting a season together
Graves, who is averaging 11 points on the season, shot over 70% from the field in the game. His rebounding ability and 6’ 9’’ frame was on display as well, collecting 13 rebounds with 9 of them being offensive rebounds. He had zero turnovers on the day, averaging less than one turnover per game on the season. Before conference play, the redshirt freshman was averaging only 8.6 points per game, mostly off the bench. Since conference play, Graves has been playing on another level. With his performance Saturday, he has assuredly made a strong argument to be in the starting lineup, and to be a first round draft pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
Future of the big man
Graves, while not on many NBA big draft boards, is showing why he should be considered a first round pick. He has helped Santa Clara to a 21-5 overall record, a 12-1 conference record and a top 50 KenPom ranking. The impressive season from the Louisiana native could make the WCC a 3-bid league, leading to Santa Clara’s first March Madness appearance since 1996. Watch for Graves to make a big impact in important late season matchups against WCC powerhouses in Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s.
Where's he heading?
Graves still has work to do on his game. He is a solid 3 point shooter at just under 40%, but only attempts 2.2 three pointers per game. On top of that, he has fouled out of 6 games. However, Saturday was a huge step for the freshman, who scored 9 of his 30 points in the final 5 minutes, helping Santa Clara to its 21st win on the season. Look out for the name Allen Graves come March, rising up draft boards and becoming a potential first rounder in this upcoming draft.