The UCSB men’s basketball team just got a little deeper. Unfortunately, the help won’t be on its way until the 2003-04 season.

The Gauchos signed Cameron Goettsche and Chris Devine to national letters of intent late last week, according to UCSB Head Coach Bob Williams.

Goettsche, a versatile 6’9″ forward, will play the upcoming season at Salt Lake City Community College before transferring to Santa Barbara the following year with sophomore status. Devine is a 6’7″ forward from Chugiak High in Eagle River, Alaska.

“Cameron is a bigger version of Mark Hull,” Williams said last week. “At 6’9″, he can really shoot it, bounce it and block shots. The other thing about Cameron that we really love is his athleticism and his jumping ability. He will be a great addition to the program.”

Hull, the senior forward and top contender for the 2003 Big West Player of the Year award, has been the Gauchos’ most consistent offensive threat the past two seasons and will remain the top scoring option in 2002-03.

Goettsche played high school ball at ThunderRidge in his hometown of Highlands Ranch, Colo., and averaged 18.4 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per game while drilling 68.4 percent of his shots from the field in his senior year. Goettsche redshirted last season at the University of Utah.

Devine recorded 14.3 PPG and 7.9 RPG as a junior at Chugiak High.

“Chris is an all-court player,” Williams said. “Chris is athletic, and we felt he was the best competitor that we saw this summer.”

Hull, B.J. Ward and Bray Skultety – barring a medical redshirt – will graduate this year, and the incoming players should make a positive impact upon their arrival.

“We are very pleased that Cameron and Chris have decided to come to UCSB next year,” Williams said. “They are both very skilled and versatile players who, we think, will have outstanding careers.”-Nexus Staff Report