The Gonzaga men’s basketball program, coming off its ninth straight Sweet 16 appearance, was ranked No. 4 in Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s Top 25 rankings featured in the publication’s 2024-25 college basketball season preview. The digital edition was released earlier this week.
Graham Ike was named third-team All-American by Blue Ribbon. The 6-foot-9 redshirt senior was also picked to win the West Coast Conference Player of the Year award and finish on the All-WCC first team for the second consecutive season.
Khalif Battle, a grad transfer from Arkansas, was Blue Ribbon’s prediction to take home the WCC Newcomer of the Year award. The 6-foot-5 New Jersey native was also featured in the projected starting lineup alongside the four returners from last season: Ryan Nembhard, Nolan Hickman, Ben Gregg and Ike.
Michael Ajayi, who led the WCC in scoring and was second in rebounds at Pepperdine last season, was among Blue Ribbon’s “key reserves” for the Zags this upcoming season, though writer Trey Williams made it worth noting that the 6-foot-7 wing “could very well end up starting the majority of games” and “he might be the best pro prospect” on Mark Few’s current roster.
Along with Miachel Ajayi and Ike, four of Blue Ribbon’s All-WCC picks were named to the all-conference first team last season: Saint Mary’s duo Augustus Marciulionis and Mitchell Saxen, Santa Clara guard Adama Bal and San Francisco guard Marcus Williams.
Gonzaga was picked to finish atop the WCC standings, which would mark the 12th consecutive season with at least a share of the WCC regular season crown. Saint Mary’s was slotted at No. 2; Santa Clara, San Francisco and WCC newcomer Washington State rounded out the top five. Blue Ribbon had Oregon State finishing seventh in its first season as a WCC affiliate member.
Loyola Marymount was sandwiched in between the Cougars and Beavers at No. 6. The bottom four in the league standings according to Blue Ribbon were San Diego, Portland, Pacific and Pepperdine in that order.
In Blue Ribbon’s Top 25, Alabama claimed the top spot followed by Kansas and Duke at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears was tabbed the Player of the Year while highly-touted Duke freshman Cooper Flagg was the Newcomer of the Year and on Blue Ribbon’s All-America Second Team. Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson, an AP All-American in 2023-24, was also on Blue Ribbon’s All-America First Team.
Former Zags Oumar Ballo (Indiana) and Hunter Sallis (Wake Forest) were on Blue Ribbon’s All-America fourth team.
Reigning back-to-back national champion UConn checked in at No. 6, as redshirt junior Alex Karaban earned Blue Ribbon All-America First Team honors. The Huskies were one of two confirmed opponents on the 2024-25 nonleague schedule to feature in the Top 25, with the other being Kentucky at No. 19. Arizona and Indiana — two potential Battle 4 Atlantis foes — ranked No. 13 and No. 14, respectively.
A case could’ve been made for the Zags being at Blue Ribbon’s No. 1 spot based on their report card, as they were the only team in the Top 25 with three “A+” grades (backcourt, bench/depth and intangibles).
“Turns out, all that talent glittering before Mark Few’s eyes this summer was gold,” Blue Ribbon wrote. “He should have a shot at a shining moment next spring, too.”
Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s 2024-25 college basketball preview will release on hard copy later this week.
