Luke Zuffelato isn’t going anywhere, Santa Barbara basketball fans.
Santa Barbara High’s standout senior announced his commitment to play for head coach Joe Pasternack at UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday, as first reported by KEYT.
“All the kids that come and watch me at Santa Barbara High School can now watch me at UCSB, it’s just amazing,” Zuffelato told KEYT. “I am glad this opportunity was given to me. I am going to make the most of it and we are going to make some noise the next couple of years.”
Zuffelato had also fielded offers from UC San Diego and Iona College, but he opted to stay close to home and spend his college career in Isla Vista.
The 6-foot-6 guard has enjoyed a stellar senior season, averaging 25.1 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 55% from the field and 49% from three-point range.
Zuffelato and the Dons have put together a strong year up to this point as well, as they currently sit at 20-5 overall and 10-1 in league play, good for first place in the Channel League.
When all is said and done, Zuffelato will go down as one of the greatest Santa Barbara High athletes of all time. He has rewritten the record books as a Don, overtaking the all-time record for career points and rebounds.
The hometown kid will look to grow his legacy in the Thunderdome in the years to come.
He is the first Santa Barbara High boys basketball player to commit to UCSB since Paul Johnson in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.