Men’s Basketball Completes Recruiting Class

Men's Basketball

Posted: Apr 22, 2019

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Center Jaden Bediako and guards David Thompson and Giordan Williams have signed national letters of intent to join Santa Clara men's basketball for the 2019-20 season.

Bediako and Williams will be true freshmen, and Thompson will have two years of eligibility.

That trio joins guards Jalen Williams (Gilbert, Arizona) and Miguel Tomley (Surrey, Canada), a pair of high school seniors, who signed in November.

"We are thrilled to sign Jaden, Dave and Giordan this spring to complete are 2019 recruiting class," head coach Herb Sendek said. "Together with Miguel and Jalen, we have an outstanding group of newcomers."

Bediako, a 6-foot-10 Canadian product, was rated the No. 2 prospect in the country by 247Sports.com this spring for Ridley College after earning first team All-Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA) honors, the top prep league in Canada.

A 6-foot product of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin who spent the last two seasons at Mt. San Jacinto Junior College, Thompson was the co-player of the year in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference's North Division after averaging 17.3 points and 4.6 assists per game in 2018-19.

The 6-foot-4 Williams was a 2018-19 second team All-CIF Division I choice as a senior at Long Beach Polytechnic High School by averaging 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

"In all we are adding a group that brings character, leadership, skill, versatility and competitive spirit to our program," Sendek said.

The Broncos have eight scholarship players returning from 2018-19, including the top five scorers in Tahj Eaddy (15.0 points per game), Josip Vrankic (13.7), Trey Wertz (12.2), Keshawn Justice (9.7) and Guglielmo Caruso (6.4).

"Juan Ducasse and DJ Mitchell will join us," Sendek said. "Juan redshirted last season following successful knee surgery, and DJ served his year of residency after transferring from Wake Forest."

Along with five freshmen, the roster will feature no seniors and only three juniors in Eaddy, Mitchell and Vrankic.

"Certainly, we are looking forward to assembling this promising group together with our core of talented returners and getting to work for the 2019-20 season," Sendek said.

2019 Spring Signees

Jaden Bediako
6-foot-10
Center
Ontario, Canada / Brampton / Ridley College

• Second-ranked recruit in Canada and No. 165 overall by 247Sports.com
• 2018-19 first team All-Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association (OSBA), the top Canadian prep league
• Selected to play in the Bio Steel All-Canadian game as a junior and senior
• Led Ridley College to a 25-10 record as a senior when he was the OSBA Defensive Player of the Year
• Played AAU for UPlay Canada
• High School Coach: Tarry Upshaw

David Thompson
6-foot
Guard
Whitefish Bay, Wisc. / Whitefish Bay High School / Mt. San Jacinto Junior College

• 2018-19 Co-Player of the Year in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference's North Division
• Led Mt. San Jacinto Junior College to a 22-6 mark and second-place finish in the PCAC North Division in 2018-19 by averaging 17.3 points on 52 percent shooting and 4.6 assists per game. Those numbers increased to nearly 21 points and 5.5 assists per game in conference play.
• Started all 28 games as a sophomore, connecting on 47 percent from behind the 3-point line and 81 percent from the free-throw line.
• Averaged 10.0 points and 3.2 assists per game as a freshman at Mt. San Jacinto
• Head Coach at Mt. San Jacinto: Patrick Springer

Giordan Williams
6-foot-4
Guard
Long Beach, Calif. / Long Beach Polytechnic High School

• Second team 2018-19 All-CIF Division I as a senior when he averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game
• Earned All-Moore League honors as a junior and senior
• Led Long Beach Poly to a 21-7 record, including a 12-0 mark in the Southern Section, during 2018-19
• First-team all-tournament at the 2018 King Cotton Holiday Classic in Pine Bluff, Arkansas
• Key member of the California Stars Elite 17U championship team at the 2018 Las Vegas Classic Summer Basketball Tournament
• Played AAU for California Stars Elite and Pump N Run
• High School Coach: Shelton Diggs