Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC Here is the weekly review of the top performing Broncos alumni, who are currently playing in pro basketball.
#1. Argentinian Francisco Caffaro, a 26-year-old center standing at 7'1'' who graduated from Santa Clara in 2024 and helped them reach the final of the Spanish LEB Oro Play-Off that year, currently plays professionally in Argentina. In a recent game last Monday, Caffaro, despite his impressive performance, was unable to lead Boca Juniors (20-15) to victory. The team suffered a 91-78 defeat on the road against the top-ranked Quimsa. During the game, Caffaro showcased his skills by scoring 10 points and securing 6 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. Despite his notable contributions, Boca Juniors ultimately fell short against Quimsa. Throughout the season, Caffaro has maintained solid statistics with an average of 12.9 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game (ranking fourth best in the league), and 1.2 assists per game. His consistent performance on the court has been noteworthy, reflecting his dedication and talent as a champion player.
#2. Canadian champion Josip Vrankic, a 6'9'' center/forward and 27-year-old Broncos alumnus from 2022 who received the All-WCC First Team award that year, is currently playing professionally in Spain. Last Friday, he was unable to lead Zunder Palencia (25-7) to victory as they were defeated 88-81 in Madrid by the lower-ranked Fuenlabrada (#7). Despite Vrankic's stellar performance of scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 29 minutes, Palencia fell short in the game. This season marks Vrankic's first with the team, where he has been putting up impressive numbers averaging 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. Against Fuenlabrada, he continued to showcase his skills with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist, although it was not enough to secure a victory for his team. It is worth noting that in addition to being a standout player in Spain, Vrankic also holds Croatian nationality.
#3. Keshawn Justice, a 6'7'' forward who graduated from Santa Clara in 2023 and earned the All-WCC Second Team award that year, is currently playing professionally in France. Although he plays for Cholet Basket, he was unable to lead his team to victory against ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket in the French Betclic ELITE league. In the closely contested game, Cholet Basket fell short with a final score of 75-67 in favor of the higher-ranked ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket, who currently hold the #4 position in the league standings. Despite the loss, Justice showcased his skills during the match by contributing 6 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in just 20 minutes of play. This game marked Justice's first season with Cholet Basket, and he has been averaging 5.9 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game throughout the season. It is evident that Justice is a valuable asset to his team, but even his performance was not enough to secure a victory against the formidable ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket, the reigning champion in the league.
#4. Canadian Danilo Djuricic, a 6'9'' forward and 27-year-old Broncos alumnus from 2022, currently plays professionally in Canada. Recently, he was instrumental in helping the Brampton Honey Badgers secure a close 93-90 victory over the Blackjacks in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Despite scoring only 4 points in 12 minutes of play, his contribution was valuable in clinching the win. The Brampton Honey Badgers, with a somewhat unimpressive 4-0 record this season, have shown promise with four consecutive wins in the Regular Season. However, it is still early in the season, and anything can happen in the upcoming games. In a recent game against Ottawa, Djuricic showcased his skills by scoring 4 points, collecting 2 rebounds, and providing 1 assist, all of which were crucial in securing the victory and solidifying his team's position as the champion. Throughout this season, Djuricic has maintained an average of 3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game, demonstrating his versatility and contribution to the team's success in their pursuit of becoming the finalist.
Other former Santa Clara University players, who play in pro basketball:
Camaron Tongue (6'7''-F-2001, played in 2021-25) plays for Kalev/Cramo in Estonian KML
Raymond Cowels III (6'3''-G-1990, played in 2009-13) plays for Trefl Sopot in Polish OBL
Jalen Williams (6'6''-G/F-2001, played in 2019-22) plays for Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA
Adama-Alpha Bal (6'7''-G-2003, played in 2023-25) plays for Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA
Brandin Podziemski (6'5''-G-2003) plays for Golden State Warriors in the NBA
John Bryant (6'11''-C-1987, played in 2005-09) plays for SYNTAINICS MBC Weissenfels in German BBL
Carlos Stewart (6'1''-G-2003, played in 2024-25) plays for Itelyum Varese in Italian Serie A
Guglielmo Caruso (6'10''-F-1999, played in 2018-21) plays for Napoli in Italian Serie A
D.J. Mitchell (6'8''-F-1997, played in 2018-18) plays for Manchester Basketball in British SLB
Carlos Marshall Jr. (6'6''-G-1999, played in 2022-24) plays for Sassari in Italian Serie A
Jaden Bediako (6'10''-C-2000, played in 2019-23) plays for Ostioneros de Guaymas in Mexican CIBACOPA
PJ Pipes (6'2''-G-1999, played in 2021-22) plays for Onvo Buyukcekmece Basketbol in Turkish BSL
Juan Ducasse (6'10''-F-1998, played in 2018-21) plays for U.Atletica in Uruguayan LUB
Henrik Jadersten (6'10''-F-1995, played in 2015-19) plays for Uppsala in Swedish Basketligan
Jared Brownridge (6'3''-G-1994, played in 2013-17) played for Delaware Blue Coats in the NBA G League few monts ago
Jalen Benjamin (5'10''-PG, played in 2023-24) plays for Beroe in Bulgarian NBL
KJ Feagin (6'1''-PG-1997, played in 2015-19) plays for Energa Kotwica Kolobrzeg in Polish 1Liga
Josh Martin (6'7''-F-1995, played in 2018-19) played for Tokushima Gambarous in Japanese B3 League last year
Johnny O'Neil (6'10''-F, played in 2023-25) plays for Birmingham Squadron in the NBA G League
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Santa Clara University basketball alumni.
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