Broncos Seek a Fifth Victory as They Welcome South Dakota to Town

SANTA CLARA, Calif.– The Santa Clara men’s basketball squad faces off against the South Dakota Coyotes (9-5) in the second matchup of a three-game homestand to conclude non-conference action on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+ with Anthony Passarelli and Henry Caruso calling the game. The link can be found above.

The Broncos are coming off a dominant win over Kennesaw State, where four players scored in double digits, highlighted by Adama-Alpha Bal, who celebrated his 21st birthday by scoring a season-high 27 points and matching a personal best with six 3-pointers. As a team, the Broncos connected on 11 triples, marking their fifth consecutive game hitting 10 or more, and their eighth such game of the season. The Broncos’ defense forced 23 turnovers from the Owls, a high since forcing 23 on Nov. 10, 2017, against La Verne. They capitalized with a season-high 31 points off these turnovers. Additionally, Santa Clara made 27 free throws, their highest total since making 35 against San Diego in the WCC quarterfinals last season on March 9.

The Broncos have four players positioned among the top-30 in scoring in the WCC, with junior guard Elijah Mahi leading at 13.3 ppg (14th in WCC). Bal is second with 13.0 ppg (16th in WCC), Christoph Tilly ranks third with 12.3 ppg (21st in WCC), and Carlos Stewart Jr. completes the group with 11.8 ppg (27th in WCC). The Broncos are third in the WCC (98th nationally) in bench points per game, averaging 26.17, and rank third in the league (53rd nationally) for free throw shooting percentage (76.0). They also lead the league and sit 65th nationally with an average of 9.3 three-pointers made per contest.

Mahi is sixth in the WCC in field goal percentage (50.0) and ninth in total field goals made with 61. Two Broncos are within the league’s top 15 in free throw percentage, with Bal leading at 81.6 percent (8th in WCC) and Tilly following at 78.6 percent (12th in WCC).

Santa Clara has also established itself as one of the top rebounding teams in the conference, ranking second in the WCC with 12.67 offensive rebounds per game (76th nationally), and fourth with 38.33 total rebounds per game (90th nationally). Sophomore forward Jake Ensminger tops the team with an average of 6.2 rpg (15th in WCC) and has recorded 10.0 rebounds per game over the last three matchups.

South Dakota approaches the matchup with a 9-5 record and is coming off a challenging 92-87 road defeat to Utah Tech. The Coyotes, under the guidance of third-year head coach Eric Peterson, feature one of the nation’s leading scoring offenses, averaging 87 ppg (12th in NCAA) and are in the top-10 nationally for bench scoring at 36.5 ppg. Chase Forte leads the scoring for the team with 15.8 ppg (5th in Summit League) and ranks among the top players in the country for free throw attempts (5th nationally with 102 attempts).

Saturday’s game marks the first encounter between the institutions.

For additional details, click on the game notes link above. 

STREAMING INFORMATION

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+, accessible here. 

Broncos Overview…

Birthday Celebrations for Bal:

Adama-Alpha Bal recorded a season-high 27 points in his previous game against Kennesaw State. The birthday celebrant matched his personal best with six three-pointers and tied his season high with four assists.

Triple Threat Trio:

In Santa Clara’s victory over Bradley, Elijah Mahi (23), Christoph Tilly (21), and Carlos Stewart Jr. (20) each surpassed the 20-point mark. This marks the first occasion SCU has had three players score 20 or more since Dec. 18, 2018, in a double overtime victory against USC.

Free Throw Accuracy:

Santa Clara ranks third in the WCC and 53rd nationally for free throw shooting percentage (76.0). The Broncos achieved a season-high 27 free throws in their recent game against Kennesaw State and have recorded two occasions shooting above 90 percent, most recently against McNeese State, where they achieved an impressive 94.7 percent (18-of-19). They also shot 93.3 percent against UC Riverside (14-of-15).

Three-Point Performance:

The Broncos are atop the WCC and rank 65th nationally with an average of 9.3 three-pointers made each game. They have successfully hit 10 or more 3-pointers in eight games this season (6-2), including five consecutive outings, capped off with a season-high 13 against Fresno State, 12 against Bradley, and 11 against Kennesaw State. 

Balanced Scoring: 

The Broncos have four players currently scoring in double digits: Mahi with 13.3 ppg (14th in WCC), Adama-Alpha Bal with 13.0 ppg (16th in WCC), Christoph Tilly with 12.3 ppg (21st in WCC), and Carlos Stewart Jr. with 11.8 ppg (27th in WCC).

Rebounding Effort: 

The Broncos sit second in the WCC with 12.67 offensive rebounds per game (76th nationally) and fourth with 38.33 total rebounds (90th nationally). Sophomore forward Jake Ensminger leads the team with an average of 6.2 rpg (15th in WCC) and 10.0 rebounds per game over the last three matchups.

Stewart Showcases Skills:

Carlos Stewart Jr. delivered an MVP-caliber performance at the Acrisure Invitational. The Baton Rouge native commenced the tournament with a then-season high of 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting against TCU. He then set a new season high with 20 points, along with five rebounds and three steals against Washington. Stewart averaged 19.0 ppg on an impressive 63.6 percent shooting, with 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game across the two-match tournament. He recently contributed 13 points at McNeese State, 18 points against Fresno State, and tied his season-best of 20 points versus Bradley. Over the past six games, he averages 16.3 ppg and shoots 60.0 percent from the field during that span.

Tilly’s Time to Shine:

Junior center Christoph Tilly leads the squad with nine games scoring in double figures this season. He has netted 15 or more points on four occasions, with a season high of 21 against Bradley (12/14). He also leads the team with 13 blocks, averaging just over one block per game.

Ensminger’s Effectiveness:

Even with a challenging offense start to the season, Jake Ensminger leads the team in rebounding at 6.2 per game (15th in WCC) and has matched his career-high with 11 rebounds on two occasions this year: vs. TCU (11/28) and in his first start of the season against Fresno State (12/7). Most recently, he recorded nine rebounds against Bradley, and 10 against Kennesaw State, averaging 10.0 rebounds per game over the last three matchups.

O’Neil Rising Up:

Senior Johnny O’Neil hasn’t had the offensive start he anticipated but has proven to be a significant defensive asset. He currently ranks second on the team with 5.3 rebounds per game and has recorded SCU’s sole double-double (10 pts/14 reb vs. North Dakota State). He is also second on the squad with 10 blocks, having registered a season-high five against Washington (11/29).

No Days Off: 

The strength of Santa Clara’s non-conference schedule is currently ranked 44th nationally out of 364 teams.

They possess the third-most challenging non-conference schedule among WCC teams, trailing Gonzaga (8th) and San Francisco (38th).

Ascending in the Standings:

With the triumph over Kennesaw State, head coach Herb Sendek has reached a tie for 55th position with 560 career wins, 147 of which have been achieved at Santa Clara, placing him fourth all-time at SCU.

Mahi Making Waves:

Junior forward Elijah Mahi has embarked on his SCU journey impressively, registering double-digit scores in six of the first eight matches this season. The Toronto native scored 22 points against Nevada, 13 points versus TCU, 19 points against Washington, a career-best 23 points against Bradley, and 14 points in his latest performance versus Kennesaw State. Mahi tops the team in points per game (13.3), ranking 14th in the WCC.

Enduring Achievement:

The Broncos have secured 20 or more victories in three successive seasons, and four if the COVID-19-affected 2020-21 season is disregarded.

Bal Returns:

After considering the NBA Draft, Adama-Alpha Bal opted to return to the Broncos for an additional season. The Le Mans, France native is set to be among the leading players in the WCC for 2024-25 following an impressive performance last year. Bal was honored as a First Team All-WCC and a Second Team NABC All-District selection after averaging 14.4 points per game (7th in WCC) in a team-high 31.2 minutes. He also placed ninth in the league with 3.1 assists per game and led the Broncos with nine games scoring 20 points or more.

Recognizable Faces:

In addition to Bal, who received First Team All-WCC recognition last season, the Broncos retained six other significant rotational players. These include All-WCC Honorable Mention from last season Christoph Tilly and All-WCC Freshman Team honoree sophomore forward Jake Ensminger. Furthermore, the Broncos welcome back senior forward Johnny O’Neil, senior guard Tyeree Bryan, junior guard Brenton Knapper, and senior forward Camaron Tongue, all vital contributors for the Broncos last year. The squad returns four of its five starters and 72.8% of its scoring from 2023-24.

Increased Experience:

The Broncos also bring back senior guard and former standout Carlos Stewart Jr. In his sophomore year at Santa Clara, Stewart Jr. was named a First Team All-WCC selection, averaging 15.2 points per game. The Broncos also added West Valley College transfer Elijah Mahi, who joins the team after leading West Valley College to an unbeaten 33-0 season in 2023-24, claiming the state championship title, being named California Player of the Year, and winning MVP in the state tournament.

Bayou Stars:

Santa Clara boasts not one, but two Gatorade Louisiana Basketball Player of the Year winners on their squad – Stewart (2020-21) and freshman Allen Graves (2023-24).

Preseason Rankings:

The Broncos were predicted to secure third place in the WCC preseason poll, while Bal and Stewart Jr. were selected for the Preseason First Team All-WCC.

Personal Milestones:

Carlos Stewart Jr. matched a career-high with 5 assists in the season opener against Saint Louis, while Camaron Tongue recorded a career-high 18 points. Christoph Tilly achieved a career-best two three-pointers in that victory, and Elijah Mahi scored a career-high 23 points versus Bradley. Johnny O’Neil posted a career-high 14 rebounds against North Dakota State. Elijah Mahi also had a career-high 10 rebounds against McNeese State, and Jake Ensiminger matched a career-high of 11 rebounds twice, once against TCU and most recently against Fresno State. Tyeree Bryan contributed with a career-high five steals against the Bulldogs. Recently, Adama-Alpha Bal tied his career-high with six three-pointers against Kennesaw State.

Pathway to the Pros:

Only five NCAA D1 men’s basketball programs have produced top-20 selections in the 2022 and 2023 NBA Drafts: Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, Baylor, and Santa Clara.

The Broncos have delivered back-to-back first-round picks in Jalen Williams (12th overall to Oklahoma City in 2022) and Brandin Podziemski (19th overall to Golden State in 2023). Moreover, former Bronco forward Keshawn Justice secured a contract with the Utah Jazz in October 2023 and is presently part of the Salt Lake Jazz.

After being the first Bronco chosen in the NBA Draft since Steve Nash in 1996, Williams lived up to the expectations of a lottery pick, finishing as the runner-up in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting, earning NBA All-Rookie First Team honors, and being selected for the 2023 Rising Stars Challenge. He excelled even further in his second year, averaging 19.1 points per game while starting 71 contests and was once again chosen for the Rising Stars Challenge.

Podziemski was the first WCC player selected in 2023 and had an exceptional rookie campaign, earning NBA All-Rookie First Team accolades and being named to the Rising Stars Challenge. He became the first Golden State rookie since Stephen Curry (2009-10) to score over 20 points, grab over 10 rebounds, and record five or more assists in a single game, achieving this on December 12 against the Phoenix Suns.

Both Williams and Podziemski were also appointed to the USA Select Team in 2023 and 2024, respectively.