Men’s Basketball Signs Four for 2018-19

Men’s Basketball Signs Four for 2018-19

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Santa Clara men's basketball announced Saturday the signing of four players to national letters of intent.

Juan Ducasse, Keshawn Justice, Omar Silverio and Trey Wertz will join the Broncos in 2018-19 as true freshmen.

"We think we have a congregation of very high character young men, guys who will represent our university and our program in an exemplary fashion and ultimately be great leaders in our program, some day ambassadors for Santa Clara University," head coach Herb Sendek said.

Ducasse is a skilled 6-foot-9 player who is a member of the Uruguay National Team, the youngest to make the squad in the last 20 years.

Justice, Silverio and Wertz are multi-dimensional players.

A 6-foot-3 product of St. Raymond's High School, Silverio is one of the top players in New York City, a hotbed of high school talent. Wertz is a 6-foot-5 performer who plays at Providence Day School in Charlotte, a city that annually features some of the best talent in the nation. Justice, a 6-foot-7 player from Madison, Wisconsin, was an all-state pick as a junior.

"As basketball players, I think we have a very skilled group," Sendek said. "A group of guys who really know how to play, and have a great feel for the game. I also really like their versatility. It is very much a position-less recruiting class, guys who are multi-dimensional, have good length, and can impact winning in a variety of ways."

The Broncos will need to replace four seniors on the current roster in Henry Caruso, Kai Healy, Jarvis Pugh and Emmanuel Ndumanya.

"I'd really be remise if I didn't thank our coaching staff and so many people on campus who take their valuable time and share great insights about the Santa Clara University and family with our visitors and our guests and so it really is a team approach to recruiting, but we are really excited about this quartet that has signed early with us here in November," Sendek said.

Santa Clara Men's Basketball Signees (Class of 2018)

Juan Ducasse
6-9
Montevideo, Uruguay / Lee Academy

• A member of the Uruguay National Team and the youngest to make the squad in the last 20 years.
• Played at Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas, during 2016-17 and matriculated to Lee Academy in Lee, Maine, prior to this season
• Considered one of the top South American players
• Other scholarship offers included Utah State and Weber State
• High school coach: Dan Haynes

Keshawn Justice
6-7
Madison, Wisc. / East

• 2016-17 Associated Press honorable mention all-state pick after leading the Purgolders to the WIAA Division 1 sectional final.
• Averaged 18.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last year when he earned first-team All-Big Eight Conference and second team on the Wisconsin State Journal/WisconsinPrepZone.com Large Schools All-Area boys basketball team.
• 2015-16 second-team All-Big Eight all-conference choice
• Other scholarship offers included Northern Iowa, Loyola Chicago, UT Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky and UW Green Bay
• High School Coach: Richard Cleveland
• Member of the Playground Elite EYBL

Omar Silverio
6-3
Bronx, N.Y. / St. Raymond

• Member of both 2015-16 and 2016-17 All-Catholic High School Athletic Association team
• Averaged 16 points, six rebounds and four assists as a junior
• Attended the same high school as assistant coach Julius Hodge
• Other scholarship offers included VCU, Rhode Island, Dayton, UMass and Fordham
• High School Coach: George Lopez
• Member of the New Heights AAU Team

Trey Wertz
6-5
Charlotte, N.C. / Providence Day School

• One of the top 15 recruits in North Carolina
• Helped lead the Chargers to the 2015-16 N.C. Independent Schools 3A state championship. That season, the team played in the DICKS' National Tournament in New York and finished with a top 20 national ranking.
• As a junior, averaged 19 points, six rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
• Other scholarship offers included Boston College, Missouri, Penn, Temple and Harvard.
• High School Coach: Brian Field
• Played for Team Loaded North Carolina

Connect with the Broncos on Social Media
• Athletics: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Snapchat
• Men's Basketball: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Snapchat