The Santa Clara Broncos (13-4, 4-0 WCC) are playing with a level of confidence not seen in Santa Clara, California, for quite some time. With their 98-70 victory over San Diego, the Broncos moved to 4-0 in conference play for the first time since the 1997-98 season. It was a wire to wire masterclass; the Broncos took the lead just 60 seconds into the contest and never looked back.
Hammond Leads the Charge
Christian Hammond has quickly become the engine of this Broncos offense. Coming off a 20 point showing against Pepperdine, Hammond went a step further on Sunday, dropping 21 points on an efficient 9 of 13 shooting. Hammond’s ability to penetrate the Toreros’ zone and finish at the rim set the tone early. He scored 13 of his points in the first half, helping Santa Clara build a comfortable 45-32 lead by the intermission.
Dominating the Glass
If there was one statistic that told the story of this game, it was the rebounding. Santa Clara entered the game ranked 9th nationally in offensive rebounding, and they lived up to that reputation.
On the offensive glass specifically, Santa Clara hauled in 19 boards, leading to a barrage of second chance points that effectively demoralized the San Diego defense. Allen Graves nearly notched a double double with 12 points and 9 rebounds, while Jake Ensminger contributed 7 rebounds and 5 assists in a versatile "glue guy" performance.
Toreros Struggle Despite Johnson’s Return
For the San Diego Toreros (6-10, 1-3 WCC), the game marked the return of junior guard Ty Laur Johnson, who had missed time due to a concussion. Johnson showed little rust, matching Hammond with 21 points of his own, alongside 7 assists and 4 steals. However, outside of Johnson and an 11 point effort from Vuk Boskovic, the Toreros lacked the firepower to keep up with Santa Clara's depth.
San Diego attempted to mount a comeback early in the second half, cutting the lead to 10. However, the Broncos responded with a devastating 12-0 run punctuated by back to back triples from Thierry Darlan to extend the lead to 22. Darlan finished with 14 points, hitting 4 of 9 from beyond the arc.
Depth and Efficiency
One of the most impressive aspects of the win was the contributions from the entire roster. Every Bronco who stepped on the court scored at least four points. Elijah Mahi, the reigning WCC Player of the Week, took a backseat in scoring (7 points) but showcased his playmaking with a career high 9 assists. Brenton Knapper provided 10 points and 6 rebounds. Even the bench got involved late, as senior walk on Brendan Yarusso ignited the crowd by scoring 8 points in the final minute of play. Santa Clara finished the night shooting 50% from the field and was a perfect 10 for 10 from the free throw line, a testament to their focus and discipline.
The Gonzaga Test
While the Broncos will certainly celebrate their historic 4-0 start, the road ahead gets significantly steeper. Santa Clara travels to Spokane on January 8 to take on No. 7 Gonzaga. That matchup will serve as a litmus test for whether this Broncos squad is a true contender for the WCC crown or a dark horse aiming for an at large NCAA Tournament bid.
For Coach Herb Sendek, the formula remains simple: win the battle in the paint, share the ball and rely on a deep rotation of scorers. If the Broncos can carry this momentum into the McCarthy Athletic Center, the rest of the conference and the country will have to take notice.
