By Morris Phillips

Every good basketball team needs a point guard.  On Thursday, Stanford found out how bad it can get without one.

The Cal Bears got the jump on their Bay Area rival, winning 69-62 over Stanford at Maples Pavilion in the Pac-12 opener for both teams.  And while Cal followed the lead of their playmaker Justin Cobbs, especially late in a tense ballgame, Stanford bogged down minus injured point guard Aaron Bright after they took their final lead with five minutes remaining.

“Our kids held their poise, they made some shots.  We made some big plays down the stretch and we were able to come out ahead,” Coach Mike Montgomery said.

Both coaches downplayed Bright’s absence as a reason for Stanford’s struggles, but the statistics told a different story.  The Cardinal managed just seven assists—a season-low–juxtaposed against 11 turnovers, and seemingly all 58 of their shots were of the tough, contested variety.  Stanford led for the final time, 56-54 with 5:17 remaining.  But in their ensuing possessions, the Cardinal missed four shots, committed four fouls and a turnover while going scoreless for more than three minutes.

“At that point we just need to calm down more,” Stanford forward Dwight Powell said.  “We had a couple of turnovers that led to them scoring.  They took advantage of the mistakes we made so we have to be more solid and more patient, be aware of the time and score.”

Bright compiled 315 assists as Stanford’s starting point guard for three seasons.  But this season, he played off the bench as Coach Johnny Dawkins settled on a bigger, defensive-minded starting lineup.  After seven games, Bright was lost after separating his shoulder in practice.  In Bright’s absence, the Cardinal have turned to 6’9” Dwight Powell as a playmaking forward, and been effective in their 2-3 zone that stymied Connecticut in Cardinal’s big upset.  But against Cal, the defense was good—not great—and their offense, minus a penetrating playmaker, was tentative down the stretch.

Cobbs was the beneficiary of Stanford’s off night on the defensive end.  The Minnesota transfer finished with 18 points and five assists.  But he saved his best for late, scoring 11 of Cal’s final 17 points.

With Cal clinging to 60-56 lead, Cobbs slipped into the lane for and converted a jumper.  Then the next time the floor, surrounded by defenders in the lane, Cobbs patiently laid the ball off to Richard Solomon for the dunk and a 64-58 Cal lead with 1:04 remaining.

“A lot of times I got the ball in my hands it just worked out for me,” Cobbs said.  “I got the ball in the rights spots and was able to make plays.”

“In the second half, Justin Cobbs played like a senior.  Down the stretch he made every big play and every big shot,” Dawkins said.

Powell led Stanford (9-4, 0-1) with 16 points, but he also had three assists and four turnovers.  Chasson Randle added 15 and Anthony Brown had 14.

The Cardinal shot 41 percent for the evening, and only 36 percent in the second half.  In a statistically even game, free throws stood out as a difference-maker.  Stanford missed 10 of their 20 attempts, while Cal converted 16 of 22.

Tyrone Wallace led Cal with 20 and Richard Solomon had 14 points and 13 rebounds despite persistent foul trouble.

Cal (10-4, 1-0) won for only the second time at Maples under Montgomery after losses at Stanford in each of the last three seasons.  Afterwards, Montgomery if there was any significance to him returning to his home for 18 seasons as Stanford’s iconic coach.

It’s been 10 years…naw,” Montgomery said.  “What made its special was the kids I coached.  And they’re long gone.”

The Bears next take on undefeated, No. 10 Oregon in Eugene next Thursday night.