UC Santa Barbara

Darko Bajrami - SG

Team: UC Santa Barbara Gauchos [ID #168]

Location: Santa Barbara, CA (West)

Conference: VI.15 [Division 3]

President: None

Rating: 29.62 - Overall Position: #887

Fan Mood: 41.81

Alumni Mood: 68.50

Prestige: 66

Team Notes:

• Mar 23 2045: 2-star prospect Will Myrick committed.
• Mar 12 2045: 2-star prospect Myles Boyer committed.
• Mar 10 2045: 2-star prospect Paul Gallagher committed.
• Mar 02 2045: Removed Booker is Lit as president.
• Oct 22 2044: Grayson Bruzzone was appointed as the new head coach.
• Oct 22 2044: Robin Lackey was fired as head coach.
• Oct 15 2044: Hired Booker is Lit as president.
• Oct 11 2044: Removed iamcool7882 as president.
• Sep 01 2044: Demoted to conference VI.15.
• Mar 10 2044: 2-star prospect Kurt Sparks committed.

Record:

Wins: 6 Losses: 9 Pct: .400 Conf Wins: 2 Conf Losses: 3 Conf Pct: .400 Conf Rank: 11 Last10: 4-6 Streak: L1

Pts Ave: 76.5 - 82.1 Pts Diff: -5.6 Team Power Index: 117.4

Press Releases:

Dec 27 2025: Commitments from Velasquez, Holtzer exemplify UCSB’s (odd) affinity for undersized centers - by b0g on May 31st, 2022

UCSB received a verbal commitment from two-star center Marcos Velazquez Tuesday morning. He joins fellow two-star Ivan Holtzer — another center — in the Gauchos’ 2026 recruiting class. Velazquez is currently averaging 7.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as a senior at John Bosco High School in Los Angeles.

“Marcos is all heart. He has all the tools to become a solid scorer and rebounder,” said UCSB head coach Deandre Ebert. “He definitely plays above his height.”

With Nelson Anthony set to graduate, both Velazquez and Holtzer — despite standing 6’4 and 6’6, respectively — will be vying for minutes at the backup center position next season. Seeing how senior Bobbie Shipp’s career has turned out though, UCSB has shown that they can turn undersized big men into positive contributors.

Dec 25 2025: Fluke allegations arise as Gauchos down North Dakota - by b0g on May 30th, 2022

At the midway point of a 5-game home stand, UCSB recorded a 67-58 win over North Dakota despite another ugly shooting performance. Junior center Clarence West took home his third Player of the Game this season with a solid 17 point-11 rebound-2 block performance. West’s 10.9 rebounds per game ranks 5th in the VI.15 conference in that department.

The Gauchos trailed 36-32 at halftime, but forced 17 Fighting Hawk turnovers en route to outscoring North Dakota by 13 points in the second half. Senior shooting guard Andy Hoskins led all UCSB scorers with 18 points and recorded two steals. Junior forward Marquis Cox also recorded two steals off the bench.

UCSB now stands at 12-7, but in looking over their 12 wins, one can’t help but feel tremendously underwhelmed by their strength of victory. The combined record of teams the Gauchos have beaten is a repulsive 75-153 with each team individually averaging 6.25 wins. Manchester and New Orleans — both 11-8 — are the only teams over .500 that UCSB has defeated. Like a grass carp feeding off the mossy bottom of a neighborhood pond, the Gauchos have only been able to feast on lowly, borderline insentient opposition.

The Gauchos will host Concordia New York and Louisiana College before setting out on a seven-game road trip. Rose-Hulman, Transylvania, and Defiance — VI.15’s top three teams — are all on the docket, meaning that UCSB will have plenty of opportunities to prove that they can compete with an actual good team.

Dec 20 2025: Gauchos squashed by Emory in early VI.15 test - by b0g on May 29th, 2022

UCSB fell to Emory University on Sunday, never holding a lead in the 82-65 loss. The Eagles jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, ending the Gauchos’ recent string of success. UCSB had won 9 of their last 10 games prior to this matchup.

“We got straight-up clowned,” said UCSB head coach Deandre Ebert. “Credit to Emory. They played great. Just completely boned us.”

The Gauchos had no answer for Emory shooting guard Ruben Maldonado, who compiled 26 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and a pair of rebounds. The 2025 VI.15 Player of the Year also nailed 8 three-pointers and added yet another stellar performance to his impressive college career.

Senior forward Bobbie Shipp led all UCSB scorers with 16 points. Junior center Clarence West netted a double-double — 10 points and 13 rebounds — in his return from a one-game absence.

UCSB will look to rebound against a North Dakota team that has lost three straight and ranks 11th in the conference.

Dec 18 2025: UCSB’s eventful season continues with 87-85 win over Chico State - by b0g on May 28th, 2022

Playing without one of their best players in junior center Clarence West, the Gauchos managed a close and exciting win over VI.15 conference foe Chico State. Both teams shot exceptionally well — around 54% from the field each — and never held a lead larger than six points. Chico State center Garrett McCleary posted a game high 22 points and took home his second Player of the Game award this season, but it was Andy Hoskins’ career night that ultimately propelled the Gauchos to victory.

UCSB’s senior shooting guard tied career highs in points (20) and three-pointers (4) while also posting three rebounds and two assists.

“Tonight was one of the best all-around performances I’ve seen from Hosk,” said Gauchos’ head coach Deandre Ebert after the game. “Gutsy player. Gutsy win. Gutsy team.”

Prior to the 2026 season, the only thing that was “gutsy” about the Gauchos was Ebert’s drooping beer belly that dangled from beneath his unironed, wrinkled dress shirt. UCSB compiled an abysmal 9-32 record in 2025 — a season littered with locker room drama, harsh criticism of local media, and overall mistrust. UCSB was demoted back to Division 3 VI.15. Ebert’s time in Santa Barbara was seemingly over.

Though it was controversial at the time, b0g’s decision to bring Ebert back for one more season is starting to look like a solid one. The erratic coach has the Gauchos sitting at 11-6 (6-1) and in third place in the VI.15 Conference. Despite the fast start however, one can’t help but hear b0g’s words from his preseason media availability echoing in their minds — a reminder that nothing is certain with the UCSB basketball program going forward.

“In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed.”

It may take the basketball equivalent of Jesus Christ walking on water to convince b0g to keep Ebert around past this season, even if the Gauchos post a positive record.

Nov 28 2024: Hanover pantses UCSB, Ebert throws temper tantrum in presser - by b0g on March 29th, 2022

HANOVER, IN -- In his postgame presser, head coach Deandre Ebert lashed out at reporters after being questioned on rumors surrounding the stability of his job.

"Who put that out there!?" Ebert queried loudly. Then came a quick swipe of the right hand, sending several microphones to the media room floor. "Don't come here -- coming at me with that horsesh*t!"

An awkward silence fell over the room. Ebert ensured that didn't last long.

"It's strictly basketball here. Y'all understand?" And then a parting shot. "F*cking morons, I'll tell you what."

Ebert briskly exited the room, an eerily similar image to his graceless habit of not shaking opposing coaches' hands after games. Since taking over UCSB in 2023, opponents haven't exactly expected mutual respect from the Gauchos and their head coach. Last season, Rose Hulman head coach Roman Campbell referred to Ebert as a "clown" after Ebert continued intentionally fouling the Engineers while down 20 points. "How that guy acts like that and has a head coaching job in Division II is beyond me," Campbell ranted. "He can come talk to me about it too. Though, I doubt he has the nads to do so."

Even former players have their reservations about UCSB's controversial coach. 2024 graduate Rudy Eckert claimed that he'd "squandered two years" under Ebert's guidance in Santa Barbara. Fellow 2024 graduate Erik Terry was slightly more critical, saying that Ebert tried way too hard to be an authoritarian coach. "He thinks he's Bobby Knight or something," Terry stated. "Difference, though, is that Bobby actually won games."

UCSB had an incredibly talented roster in 2023 but folded early in the VI.15 conference tournament, putting their Division III tournament hopes to rest. Still, despite the disappointing conclusion, the departure of Jeff Hahn, and a transition into Division II V.8, the outlook for 2024 was mostly positive. What followed was a tumultuous 18-23 season, and a multitude of fiery incidents with Deandre Ebert.

And now, after a 70-61 loss to Hanover (6-7), everything appears to be coming to a head. UCSB dropped to 2-11 and into the bottom five of V.8. Point guard Hector Pope still can't hit the broad side of a barn, transfer forward Richard Yost has been a disaster, and the bench ranks towards the bottom of the conference. To top it all off, the Gauchos employ a dysfunctional coach whose superiors in the athletics department do not seem to approve of. While Director of Basketball Operations b0g continues to preach about "culture" and "continuity," that 2015 National Championship just keeps getting further and further away.

Barring an inconceivable turnaround, the writing is on the wall for Deandre Ebert.