Brockhoff Will Join Men's Basketball Roster for 2023-24 Season

https://ucsbgauchos.com/news/2023/7/20/brockhoff-joins-mens-basketball-roster-for-2023-24.aspx

UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball Welcomes Cayla Williams to Roster

https://www.ucsbgauchos.com/sports/w-baskbl/2022-23/releases/20230425paldye

Former Gaucho Michael Bryson on Houston Summer League Roster

Michael Bryson, Sacramento's Foothill HS & UC Santa Barbara product, will play with the Houston Rockets during summer league

— Sean Cunningham (@SeanCunningham) June 25, 2017

https://twitter.com/SeanCunningham/status/879106267737763840

Roster Update With Coach Bob Williams

Gaucho Hoops ("GH"):  Thanks for the interview, Coach Williams.  You've had a full week of practice.  Let's start with who's not on the roster--Keegan Hornbuckle.

Bob Williams ("BW"):  Yes, Keegan had surgery on his ankle in June and it just didn't respond well.  So he decided it was best that he finish school and graduate and move on with his life.

GH:  Given Keegan's no longer on the roster, does that mean Alex Hart may not redshirt?

BW:  We won't decide on who redshirts until mid-November.  Because of the new rules, we've been able to evaluate players since August, we should be able to make good decisions on the lineups.  Alex is a good shooter and passer, but he is not physical enough at this stage.  If we believe he will be in the regular rotation of top 9 - 10 players, he will play.  If he does not crack the top 10, he will redshirt.  Whatever we decide will be what's best for Alex.

GH:  Is the situation similar to former Gaucho center Greg Somogyi?

BW:  With Somogyi, he would have benefited from a redshirt year, but we just didn't have the depth in the post at the time.

GH:  Speaking of redshirting, will TJ redshirt after the dual hip surgeries?

BW:  TJ is recovering nicely and doing water work, but he just hasn't played at all for several months, so in all likelihood, it looks like he will redshirt.

GH:  Which brings up the point guard position.  Where does Eric Childress fit into the Gaucho plans?

BW:  Eric is very good with the ball, handles defensive pressure well, makes good decisions, shoots well, penetrates well, uses on-ball screens well, is good in and around the lane, and is a tenacious defender.  The battles in practice between Eric and Zalmico Harmon have been epic, because both are extremely competitive.  They raise the level of play of each other in practice.  To answer your question, no, Eric will not redshirt.

One area of improvement for Eric is he has to become a bigger voice--a more vocal leader.

GH:  Speaking of Zalmico, how is he progressing?

BW:  Zalmico is physically mature, tough, tenacious, and is a natural pleaser.  He wants to make sure his teammates are happy.  He has very high standards for himself.  He and Eric are similar in many ways:  both are unselfish, pass-first point guards.  Zalmico is just ripped and very strong, so we can go small and have Eric run the point, while Zalmico can slide over to the off-guard position, because he is strong enough to defend the opponent's off-guard.

We should be good at the point guard position, with Zalmico, Eric, and Duke DaRe.  Both Zalmico and Duke are big enough to play both point guard and off-guard, as they can both defend the 2.  So we'll have versatility with our three point guards, with the ability to go with a small or big lineup.

GH:  How is Kyle Boswell's left shoulder?

BW:  Kyle is recovering from shoulder surgery, and he is practicing, but his shoulder is not at full strength.  Therefore, he has to wear the gold "Peyton Manning" in practice, where other players must avoid physical contact with him.  Even though he is a right-handed shooter, he does use both arms, so the injury did impact him.  But his shot is as good as ever, and his range as deep as before.  He just needs to regain full strength in his shoulder for a complete recovery.

GH:  How about Michael Bryson?

BW:  Michael is more mature, is stronger, and his shot is more consistent.  He had a break out game in the Big West Tournament, making the all-tournament team.  We expect that type of performance to carry over into this season.  He also gives us versatility, as he can play the 2, 3, and 4.

GH:  Kinda like former Gaucho star James Nunnally?

BW:  Yes, although James played a lot at the 4.

GH:  Where is Taran Brown?

BW:  Taran is improved, he's making better decisions, is shooting better, and is on-balance.

GH:  What does on-balance mean, Coach?

BW:  Our focus this season will be to play tougher, and be more physical.  We will be more fundamentally sound.  We may have gotten away from that last year, because we had such talented teams previously with OJ and James, so we let the players have more freedom--because the young players were so athletic.

We will rein them in more this season, focusing on sound fundamentals.  This includes individual skill development on things like ball fakes, pivoting, footwork, and being in balance, instead of getting caught in the air.  Taran would get caught in the air sometimes, shooting when he was off-balance.

GH:  How is John Green coming along?

BW:  We're being cautious with John, monitoring him closely.  We're limiting him to one hour and 15 minutes of practice, with shooting drills afterward.  We want to limit the pounding to his feet.  But John is such a natural player, that he may be our best offensive weapon, despite sitting out two seasons.  He just picks things up so quickly despite the long layoff.

He gets his extra conditioning on the elliptical machine, on the stationary bike, doing his water work, and we've also implemented special warm-ups in order to reduce injuries.

GH:  What are these special warm-ups?

BW:  Most of these exercises strengthen the hips, and the players are also doing yoga 2 days a week.  Ross [strength and conditioning coach] also has the players receiving extra ice treatments after practices.

With John, his offensive skills are so well-rounded:  he has improved his back to the basket moves, he has a mid-range game, and he can shoot the 3.

GH:  Yes, I noticed John's shot had improved over the summer.  A couple years ago, when I was shooting around with him, I noticed his shot went back over his head.  While he was accurate, his backspin was kind of a cork screw.  With his recent shot, his release is more in front of him, and he has the proper backspin.  Was that a change your shooting coach instilled?  Who is the shooting coach?

BW:  We decided to change his shot by committee, so we all took turns on coaching John on his shot.

GH:  Let's cover the front court.  Will Drew Dickey figure in the plans?

BW:  Drew has had back ailments, so he hasn't been able to play lately.  We'll have to monitor that situation.

GH:  How does Sam Beeler look?

BW:  Sam is stronger, and his back-to-the-basket play is better.  He's still competing hard.

GH:  What about Mitch Brewe?

BW:  Mitch has leaned up.  He's moving better, quicker laterally, and running faster.

GH:  What about Alan Williams?

BW:  Alan is in better shape, and quicker.  He's shooting better.

GH:  When I saw him play over the summer, Alan was developing a nice mid-range jumper around 12-15 feet.  He wasn't shy with the shot.

BW:  No, Alan isn't shy about shooting.  Our front court also allows us some flexibility.  Alan normally plays the 5, and if we want to go big, Mitch can play the 4 with Alan in lineup.  And if we want to go really big, we can slide Alan over to the 4, and bring in Sam at the 5.

Alan will start, but Sam and Mitch are also capable starters.

GH:  OK, that wraps it up, Coach.  Thanks again, and we look forward to the season.

Offseason update with Coach Bob Williams (part 1)

This is the first installment of an update on the Gauchos' men's basketball program for the 2011 offseason.

Gaucho Hoops (GH):  Coach, thanks for taking this interview.  First off:  OJ [Orlando Johnson] is returning....great news.

Coach Bob Williams (BW):  Yes, he is returning and that is great news.


GH:  So what are the returning players doing during this offseason?

BW:  The offseason program includes shooting drills, one-on-one drills, ball-handling, weight training, and conditioning.


GH:  Let's cover the new incoming players.  When do the freshmen arrive on campus?

BW:  July 29 is when the freshmen arrive on campus.  They will take part in the Head Start program.  This includes academic preparation, testing, taking two classes, and getting acclimated to campus life.


GH:  When will freshman recruit [Lewis] Thomas arrive?

BW:  He will also arrive July 29.  He is currently playing with the Australian U-19 national team.


GH:  When will redshirt decisions be made on the freshmen?

BW:  In November.


GH:  Back to returning players:  how are offseason workouts going?

BW:  The workouts have been phenomenal, as good as any in my 13 years of being a coach here.  I'm talking about the work ethic, commitment, progress, and improvement.


GH:  What about the redshirts?

BW:  Nate [Garth] is doing well.  His hip is good.  He has gained weight, is stronger, and healthier.  He is producing on the court, shooting well, working hard, and displaying leadership.


GH:  How is Keegan [Hornbuckle] doing?

BW:  Keegan is still getting healthy, and experiencing setbacks.  It's three steps forward, and two steps back.  His latest setback was last month, probably due to pushing his knee too hard.  He is nowhere near ready.


GH:  Can you give us any updates on the freshmen?

BW:  Obviously, their [high school and prep] seasons are over, but Coaches Bromley and Stock are staying in touch with them once a week regarding their offseason workouts.  Coach Campbell is contact with them every other week making sure their academics are in order, and that issues on housing, admissions, and scholarship papers are taken care of. 


GH:  How is the assistant coach search going?

BW:  I'm interviewing people now and hope to have someone in place by June.


GH:  Any other comments you'd like to add regarding the freshmen, Coach?

BW:  The coaches are very excited about the seven new players coming in, including redshirts Garth and Hornbuckle, and the five freshmen.  This team will have the most depth and competition for roster spots since I've been a coach here at UCSB the last 13 years.


GH:  That's great to hear.  Gaucho fans are excited, too.  We can go over the rest of the roster in the next segment.  Thanks again, Coach.

BW:  Thanks for your support.

Gaucho roster overview with Coach Bob Williams

Enclosed is an overview by Coach Bob Williams of the 2010 - 2011 Gaucho basketball roster.

Jaime Serna is still as strong as ever, is 6'7" in height, but has increased his quickness and is leaner. He has extended his shooting range to 15 - 16 feet.

Jordan Weiner will continue in his role as a perimeter shooter and defensive specialist. The former walk-on is on scholarship for his senior season.

Kyle Boswell may or may not redshirt. The freshman's status will be determined before the season starts. He's a shooting guard with range beyond the 3 - point line.

Justin Joyner's ankle is fully healed and his conditioning is 100%. His wrist is as good as it ever will be.

Will Brew worked very hard on his perimeter jumper over the summer. As a point guard, he also worked on making better decisions with the ball, including penetration, coming to a jump stop, and finding the open teammate.

James Nunnally worked on is ball-handling, especially in the open court, in order to limit his turnovers. He also is looking to maintain concentration on defense. At 6'6", he will again play the 4, but will also play the 2 at times, as he is quicker this year (he's a natural 3). This gives the Gauchos options on who will play the 4 when Nunnally plays the 2 (i.e., we can go with a bigger lineup). Because he is quicker, when he is at the 4, he creates match up problems as he can play pressure defense, and can isolate his defender on the perimeter on offense.

Lucas Devenny's biggest improvement is his higher confidence level, as he is more comfortable with the offense and defense. With renewed confidence, he is learning to play within himself, and playing much better this summer.

Jon Pastorek does best when he doesn't try to do too much, and lets the game come to him, and hence, eliminates mistakes. As long as he doesn't try to over-penetrate or shoot the 3 ball too quickly, his ability as an active rebounder and good passer could earn him more minutes.

Orlando Johnson, like Nunnally, has improved in all areas, including ball-handling as he attempts to limit turnovers. His lateral foot speed has also improved, as has his concentration on defense. His athleticism and conditioning have improved, thanks to the strength and conditioning program, and his dedicated work ethic. The guy is a gym rat, and also hits the weight room during his spare time. He is one of the hardest working players Coach Williams has ever coached. Even though he is the reigning Big West Player of the Year, it is his desire that separates him from the rest.

Troy Leaf can play either the point guard or shooting guard positions. He has range on his jumper out to the 3-point line, and his mid-range (10 - 18 feet) game is especially deadly. Like Boswell, this freshman's redshirt status is unknown at this point in time.

Greg Somogyi came back from his summer trip to his native Hungary refreshed. His strength and conditioning have improved, but this year needs to be his break out year. He needs to get tougher and more active in the paint. Interestingly enough, he performs better against high-major teams, because he is matched up against opposing legitimate centers. But if he can withstand the constant bumping and pounding by shorter, but bulkier mid-major centers, and not get pushed out of position, he will perform well against them, also. The Gaucho coaches would love to play him until he fatigues, and are targeting 22 - 25 minutes per game for him.