JSerra standout Francesco Borra signs to play basketball for UC Davis

JSerra star Francesco Borra joined UC Davis Coach Jim Les. (Photo courtesy JSerra basketball)

JSerra standout Francesco Borra signed his national letter of intent this week to play basketball for UC Davis.

“Francesco is a 6-11 253-pound senior who had a terrific season before he tore his ACL against Servite in the third game of Trinity League play,” said JSerra Coach Keith Wilkinson.

Borra started 16 of 17 games at center for the Lions.

“He is a true big who can play with his back to the basket,” Wilkinson said. “Fran has a great touch with his left and right hand. He is big and strong and does a great job of sealing around the rim. I was so bummed when he got hurt because he really was the anchor of our defense. He is so dang big and takes up a ton of space in the paint. Fran does a great job of keeping his verticality and making it hard for people to score around the rim and for his size he is one of the best ball screen hedge guys I have ever seen.

“I compare him to Marc Gasol in that aspect. Fran would absolutely blow up good guards in a ball screen and give them no where to go. That will be so valuable at the next level when you constantly have to handle screen and roll actions. I would have loved to see how far we could have gone with Fran staying healthy throughout the entire year, but have been extremely proud of how he has attacked rehab, before and after his ACL surgery. 

“UC Davis is getting a very good basketball player who will be able to make an immediate impact as redshirt freshman. He will have to redshirt because of his injury. They are getting a tremendous student, Fran has around a 3.75 GPA currently and they are getting a great young man. I couldn’t be more proud to have Fran represent JSerra at the next level.

“Coach Les and his entire staff were fantastic in the recruiting process and built a relationship with Fran since he got to JSerra and stayed in him throughout the entire year, even after the injury. He is a huge steal for the Big West and before his injury his recruitment was as high as Pac-12 and ACC schools. I think Fran would agree with this, but the moment I will remember for a long time was his game winning baseline hook in the Holiday Classic National Division Championship over Sheldon at Torrey Pines. He even added one more left hand game winning layup when he slashed down the lane at St. John Bosco with two seconds left for the win. Two game winners in a matter of a week or two against some of the best competition in the country. 

“So excited to be able to watch Fran continue to develop and we are stoked to see him a bunch the next couple years when he plays locally in the area against Big West opponents like UC Irvine, Fullerton, Long Beach, UC Riverside and Northridge.”

SEND SIGNING PHOTOS TO TIMBURT@OCSPORTSZONE.COM