Jared Brownridge vs. Kevin Foster as Freshmen

Jared Brownridge entered this season as an unknown among Bronco fans. Not highly recruited, his best offer besides Santa Clara was from his native state, Southern Illinois. He was ranked as only the 92nd best shooting guard in the country, a 2-star recruit, according to ESPN.com. No one would have ever expected him to put together the most impressive freshman season in school history, maybe even in conference history.

When you watch Brownridge play, one name immediately comes to your mind as a comparison; Kevin Foster, 2nd all-time in WCC history in scoring. Not only do they play on the same team, they play the same position and have very similar styles of play. Both are prolific scorers, both have deep range, and both are almost unstoppable when they attack. Kevin Foster is the best scorer in Santa Clara history, but can Jared Brownridge be even better?

Statistics

Freshman years of Jared Brownridge and Kevin Foster

PPG: Brownridge-17.2, Foster-14.7

RPG: Brownridge-2.6, Foster-2.4

APG: Brownridge-2.3, Foster-2.5

FG%: Brownridge-45, Foster-47

3FG%: Brownridge-44, Foster-36

Feb. 20, 2013; Spokane, WA, USA; Santa Clara Broncos guard Kevin Foster (21) puts up a shot against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the first half at the McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

Statistically their freshman years were extremely similar, with maybe a slight edge to Brownridge in points and 3-point percentage.  Brownridge also broke Kevin Foster’s freshman record for 3-point field goals made with 95. However, after redshirting his first sophomore year after a foot injury, Foster made a huge improvement in his game, leading the NCAA in 3-pointers made and attempted his sophomore season. If Brownridge wants to keep pace with Foster, he does not need as significant of an increase as Foster needed, but an improvement is needed nonetheless.

The analytics, according to sports-reference.com, give Brownridge the edge over Foster. Brownridge had 4.3 win shares compared to 3.1 from Foster his freshman year. Brownridge had a much higher effective field goal percentage and true shooting percentage than Foster, and was able to average more while having a lower usage percentage. Brownridge’s turnover rate was about half of Foster’s, and Foster’s defensive win shares of 0.7 was only above Brownridge’s 0.6 by 0.1. Advanced stats loved Brownridge’s freshman season as he was able to sustain efficiency with his big numbers.

Defensively, Foster may have the slight advantage. Tied for 6th in WCC history in steals, Foster also is 2nd in school history in steals. Brownridge is a very solid defender, but averaged only .73 steals a game, only 3rd best on the team. However, Foster made a huge jump in steals from freshman to sophomore year, going from 1.3 a game to 2.2, so that same jump from Brownridge is very possible.

Overall, statistically, Brownridge and Foster are practically a draw through their first year, with maybe a slight edge to Brownridge. While the analytics love Brownridge, and he shot the ball from deep better and scored more, Foster’s big improvement his sophomore year and better defense will require Brownridge to go to the next level his next three years.

Scouting

The similarities between Brownridge and Foster are made more apparent when we look at things other than just their stats. Both are 6-foot-2, which is a tad undersized for the two position. However, both are very well built, with Kevin Foster at 211 pounds and Brownridge at a sturdy 195. However, Foster was more of a primary ball handler and distributor, whereas Brownridge did not have to do as much with Evan Roquemore, Brandon Clark, and Jalen Richard running the point for the most part. Foster was so strong that he could get into the lane with ease and score through contact.

Brownridge, at times, became too one dimensional as just a shooter. While they are both incredible shooters, Foster was a great scorer because he could attack the rim using his strength and not just rely on his stroke from outside. During his freshman year, Brownridge would disappear a lot of the time because he sometimes just became a shooter. In a 2 point loss at home against Gonzaga, Brownridge all but disappeared, relying on his other guards to take over, ending with only 6 points on 2-7 shooting. Foster’s greatness was partially because if his shot was not falling, he willed his way to score or distribute to his teammates to make a positive impact.

In terms of scouting, I have to give the edge to Foster because of his ability to do so many different things. While being one of the most prolific three point shooters in NCAA history, he was also a well-rounded scorer. Brownridge definitely showed promise as a complete scorer, but not at the level as Foster. They are very similar athletes and have similar builds, and Brownridge has three more years to improve his all-around game, but a team preparing for Kevin Foster had a little more to deal with than a team preparing for Jared Brownridge.

March 8, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Santa Clara Broncos guard Jared Brownridge (23) dribbles against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard David Stockton (11) during the second half in the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference tournament at Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Intangibles

Intangibles are hard to quantify. It can be anything from toughness, leadership, clutch abilities, or even off the court problems; but they are an essential part to one’s success and ultimately legacy.

Kevin Foster had questionable intangibles to say the least. During his junior year he was arrested for drunk driving and suspended for the entire WCC season, ultimately costing him the number one spot in conference history for scoring. Along with this, Foster had problems with controlling his weight during his career at Santa Clara and after, reportedly getting up to around 240 pounds. No one questioned his ability on the court, but one has to wonder if he would possibly be playing in the NBA if he had kept his focus off the court.

This is where Jared Brownridge will surpass the greatness of Kevin Foster. Brownridge, though only a freshman, has an outstanding reputation in the athletic department and on campus. He improved over the course of the season and had some incredible games at the end of the year, a testament to his work ethic and his toughness. He made some huge shots this year, including the game winner at St. Mary’s and a shot to the tie the game with 10 seconds left against Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament. He did not play like a freshman, showing maturity and leadership all year. He did all the little things that are easy to overlook but are essential to success, which points to an even brighter future for him.

Analysis

The end of the Kevin Foster era left uncertainty in the minds of Bronco fans who were not sure what to expect this season. To everyone’s surprise, Coach Keating decided to bring in Kevin Foster 2.0 with Jared Brownridge. Their physical similarities jump out to you right away, and watching them play only intensifies these comparisons.

However, after only a year, Brownridge seems to be in position to be a better version of Kevin Foster, and it all comes down to two things: efficiency and intangibles. Brownridge, in his freshman year, was able to sustain a high level of production while being more efficient than Foster ever was even in his best year. In the era of analytics, Brownridge is the type of scorer that is preferred over a volume scorer like Foster. And finally, the thing that pushes Brownridge over the edge is his intangibles. A great kid; humble and hard working, he has the right attitude to push himself to maybe be the greatest Bronco ever.