Epl Clubs
How USF Basketball Can Build a Winning Roster for the Upcoming Season
As I sit down to analyze the path forward for the University of San Francisco Dons basketball program, I can’t help but reflect on a piece of news from overseas that, in my view, encapsulates the single most crucial element of roster building. It’s about a player named Nic Cabanero over at the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines. The report stated that after reaching the Final Four for the first time in his career, Cabanero was so invested in the program and the momentum they’d built that he “shunned talks on his potential future elsewhere.” He wanted to run it back. That phrase, that sentiment, is pure gold for any coach. It speaks to a culture so compelling that a talented player chooses continuity over the allure of the transfer portal. For USF, heading into a pivotal season, the blueprint isn’t just about collecting talent; it’s about fostering an environment where players feel exactly that way. The foundation of a winning roster isn’t laid in the summer; it’s built day by day through a culture that makes players want to stay and fight for more.
Let’s be real, the modern college basketball landscape is a whirlwind of transfers. The portal giveth, and the portal taketh away. USF, like every mid-major program with aspirations, has felt both sides of that equation. We lost a key contributor who averaged 12.3 points per game, a blow to our offensive spacing. But we also gained a promising guard from a Power Five school who, frankly, needed a fresh start. The transactional nature of it all can feel cold. That’s why the Cabanero example is so vital. Our first and most important task isn’t just to scout the portal for the best stats; it’s to identify players who are hungry for a project, who want to be part of building something lasting. I’d argue we need to prioritize character and fit over pure athleticism, maybe at a 60/40 ratio. Find the guys who value relationships with coaches, who thrive in a tight-knit community like San Francisco offers, and who see the WCC not as a stepping stone but as a conference where they can leave a legacy. We’ve got to sell the vision of being the next Gonzaga, not just a feeder program for it.
Now, onto the practical, on-court construction. We return our leading scorer and rebounder, a forward who put up 15.8 points and 7.2 boards a game. That’s our anchor. Building around him is the puzzle. In my experience watching this team, our most glaring weakness last season was perimeter defense and consistent three-point shooting—we ranked a dismal 287th nationally in three-point percentage at 31.4%. You simply cannot win in today’s game with those numbers. So, my personal preference for our portal strategy is clear: we need two specific archetypes. First, a veteran, lockdown perimeter defender. I don’t care if he only averages 6 points; if he can shut down the opponent’s best guard and communicate on switches, he’s worth his weight in gold. Second, we need a pure shooter. A specialist. Someone who might only play 18-20 minutes a game but whose sole purpose is to stretch the floor and punish zones. The analytics are clear: adding just one 40% three-point shooter to our lineup could increase our offensive efficiency by roughly 4-5 points per 100 possessions. That’s the difference in 3 or 4 close games over a season.
But talent acquisition is only half the battle. The real magic, the “run it back” magic, happens in the player development program. This is where I believe USF can create a massive edge. We have to be the program that takes a player’s raw tools and polishes them into reliable skills. That returning forward I mentioned? If he can develop a credible 15-foot jumper, his scoring average could jump to 19. Our young point guard showed flashes of brilliance but averaged 3.1 turnovers per game. A dedicated offseason program focused on ball-handling under pressure and film study could cut that to 2.2, making our entire offense more potent. This internal development does two things: it makes us better on the court, and it shows every player on the roster that we are invested in their long-term growth. It builds trust. It makes them feel like Cabanero—deeply connected to the program’s upward trajectory. I’d implement a mandatory, structured skills development program for at least 90 minutes every offseason day, tracked with measurable metrics.
Finally, we have to talk about chemistry. You can assemble a team of all-stars, but if they don’t gel, it’s a house of cards. I’m a firm believer in scheduling a preseason retreat, something off the court and away from the gym. Maybe a team-building camp in the Marin headlands. It sounds soft, but the bonds formed there are what get you through a tough road game in Spokane in February. The coaching staff must be intentional about creating those moments. Furthermore, defining roles early and communicating them transparently is non-negotiable. The player coming off the bench needs to know his 18 minutes are as critical as the starter’s 32. This clarity prevents the locker-room discontent that can derail a season by Christmas.
So, as we look ahead, the formula for USF is multifaceted. It’s a blend of strategic portal recruitment with a bias for character, a relentless focus on internal skill development, and a proactive cultivation of team chemistry. It’s about creating a culture so positive and ambitious that our players, at the end of the season, look at each other and say, “Let’s run it back.” That’s the ultimate goal. If we can instill that Cabanero-level of commitment and belief, then the wins, the packed crowds at War Memorial Gym, and the return to NCAA tournament contention will follow. It’s a tall order, but in the unique ecosystem of San Francisco and with the right intentionality, it’s absolutely within reach. The roster isn’t just built on paper; it’s forged in the day-to-day grind of a shared purpose.