Category: Cal Bears

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca: Bears couldn’t hold their own in second half lose to Ducks 82-69

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The Oregon Ducks were taking to the hoop in the second half with a 46-34 difference on the Cal Bears at Matthew Knight Arena at the University of Oregon on Thu Dec 31, 2020 (USA Today photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Michael:

#1 Michael, in the first half action of Cal’s (5-5) game against the Oregon Ducks (7-1) the Bears looked like they might make an interesting game of it trailing the Ducks just by a point at the half 36-35.

#2 The Bears Matt Bradley returned after missing two games and suffering an injury. Bradley led the Bears with 21 points at Matthew Knight Arena on New Year’s eve.

#3 The Bears Makale Forman in spite of the loss had a hot hand with 14 points and four three pointers. You got to like what he brings to the Cal offense.

#4 The Ducks had a second half surge outscoring Cal 46-34 and the Ducks top scorer Eugene Omoruyi led the Ducks with 26 points Omoruyi was a huge contributor towards keeping the Bears from playing catch up.

#5 The Bears head to Oregon State to face the Beavers. The Beavers had their game against Stanford on Thursday night canceled due to Covid-19 testing results and contact tracing issues. The Bears hope for the Beavers to be healthy and ready for Sat Jan 2nd’s game tell us how you see this match up.

Join Michael for the Cal Bears podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

No. 21 Oregon methodically (and patiently) dismantles Cal, 82-69

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By Morris Phillips

The Oregon Ducks don’t have a center or frontline size typical of Power 5 teams. They also don’t have a traditional point guard. And they came into Thursday’s contest with Cal lacking continuity as their previous game against UCLA was canceled due to COVID concerns.

What they do have is loads of talent directed by record-setting coach Dana Altman, which makes them a problem, an assessment with which the Bears would certainly agree.

The Ducks afforded Cal some open looks early which translated into one seven-point lead in the first half and a four-point lead early in the second half. But that was it, after Cal’s second lead the No. 21 Ducks responded in a big way while coasting to a 82-69 win.

“I thought the first half we played really confidently and we competed well throughout the night,” Bears coach Mark Fox said. ”In the second half, we just had a drought. We put so much pressure on our defense.”

Matt Bradley returned to the Cal lineup after missing two games and put up an efficient 21 points to pace his team. But as the game progressed Oregon’s defense did too, eventually shutting down Bradley and others while forcing a slew of turnovers, with nine of Cal’s 17 giveaways after halftime.

Eugene Omoruyi was the central figure in discombobulating Cal with five steals to go with a game-best 26 points. Despite being listed at 6’6″, Omoruyi was dominant inside, setting up shop near the baseline and attacking Cal at the basket relentlessly, so much so Cal’s 7-foot center Lars Thiemann fouled out in just 18 minutes of floor time.

“I thought Eugene did a lot of good things and the five steals – his activity there was really good,” said head coach Dana Altman. “He was really unstoppable inside.”

Without size or an offensive catalyst, the Ducks rely on their defense to create a bunch of good things. That took place Thursday, it just took basically a half to materialize which may have been due to the Ducks’ unusually long 11-day layoff.

Over the final 12:45, Oregon stretched their narrow lead to 13 while limiting Cal to 20 points.

The Ducks won for the 27th consecutive time at Matthew Knight Arena, and beat Cal for the eight consecutive time dating back to February 2016. Altman kept his name moving up the all-time wins list for coaches with his 676th in 31 plus seasons at the Division I level. Next up in 22nd place with 677 wins, Altman will equal former Cal coach Mike Montgomery.

The Bears (5-5, 0-3) next play at Oregon State on Saturday, a team they’ve already lost to this season in early December. The Bears have a ceiling to break through with conference losses to Arizona State, UCLA and Oregon along with the loss to OSU that doesn’t count in the Pac-12 standings.

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips: Bears coming off two home wins face Oregon New Years Eve

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The Cal Bears Joel Brown (1) who scored 12 finished second in scoring as the Bears defeated the Seattle University Redhawks last Tue Dec 22 at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley (calbears.com photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris the Bears did pick up two home wins defeating Cal Northridge on Sat 19th and Seattle U on Tue 22nd.

#2 In the latest win against Seattle the Bears Ryan Betley scored 17 points he’s one of the young transfer who proved to be a important factor in helping Cal out in scoring in accomplishing a win.

#3 Joel Brown had 12 points talk about his performance and will Cal head coach Mark Fox get the ball to Brown more often?

#4 Kuany Kuany also finished in double figures with 11 points it seemed like he got plenty of time to shoot against the Seattle defense as the Bears wound up getting a five point win.

#5 The Bears are at Oregon (6-1) on New Year’s eve on Thu Dec 31 and have won seven straight games and the Bears are at Oregon State (4-3) on Jan 2. The Beavers have won two of their last five games.

Join Morris Mondays for the Cal Bears podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal gets past Seattle U. in the game’s final minutes, 70-65

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–Handpicked opponents with balky jump shots and limited confidence delivered to your main gym entrance at a moment’s notice?

Well, this isn’t Grubhub or Uber Eats, the Golden Bears can testify to that.

Instead of skating through the promenade entrance of the Conte Forum on the Boston College campus in near freezing temperatures, the Cal Bears heeded the words of their local medical experts, and spent Tuesday afternoon close to home at Haas Pavilion. After canceling with BC, the Redhawks from Seattle agreed to be Cal’s opponent in a hastily arranged matchup.

However, the Redhawks didn’t agree to be pliable or vulnerable–anything but.

Coach Jim Hayford saw his Redhawks lead for the game’s first 33 minutes only to go scoreless for five of the final six minutes allowing Joel Brown and the Bears to seize control in a 70-65 win.

“It came right down to the last four minutes and you have to credit Joel Brown,” Hayford said. “His two threes were clutch and  at the end of the shot clock after we played really good defense. He made the two winning plays that really were the difference in this game.”

The Bears again played without leading scorers Matt Bradley and Grant Anticevich. That meant others had to step up and Brown, Kuany Kuany along with Ryan Betley answered the call.

Betley led the Bears with 17 points, but Kuany’s contribution (11 points tying his career best) was a welcome surprise as was Brown’s star turn down the stretch.

With the shot clock almost expired, Brown hit a 3-pointer to put Cal up 60-59 with 3:31 remaining. Then after both teams fell into neutral offensively for several possessions, Brown struck again with a three that put Cal up 63-59 with 2:01 remaining.

“Those were huge baskets for us, no question about it,” coach Mark Fox said of Brown.

Brown’s baskets were part of a 10-0 run that saw the Bears go from down two to up eight with 31 seconds to go.

In the closing run, reliable Redhawks Riley Grigsby (20 points, son of former Cal standout Alfred Grigsby), Emeka Udenyi (prepped at De La Salle Concord) and Darrion Trammell (St. Ignatius San Francisco) missed big shots, ending what had been an impressive afternoon for the trio.

The Bears (5-4, 0-2) are over .500 for the first time in over a year. They next see action on New Years Eve at Oregon in a matchup with the conference favorite Ducks.

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips: Without Bradley and Anticevich Bears still crush Cal State Northridge; Bears host Redhawks Tuesday afternoon

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Cal Bears Jerod Hyder (3) takes the ball against the Cal State Northridge defense on Sat Dec 19, 2020 at Haas Pavilion (bearinsider.com photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Morris:

#1 How impressive was it for the Cal Bears (4-4) to get a 87-56 win over the visiting Cal State Northridge without the use of Matt Bradley (knee injury) and Grant Anticevich  (appendectomy surgery).

#2 Ryan Betley and Makale Foreman who are graduate transfers their contribution to the offense on Saturday was impressive combining with 42 points.

#3 Morris, talk about Betley and Foreman’s hitting nine three pointers they just about had their way with Cal State Northridge.

#4 The win for Cal was their most impressive shooting 60 percent this being their most convincing win since Feb 2017 when they defeated Oregon State.

#5 Seattle University Redhawks (4-4) is in Tuesday afternoon at 2pm at Haas Pavilion. The Redhawks have lost three of their last four games. The Hawks won their last game against Northwest University 89-40. Morris talk about how you see Tuesday’s match up.

Join Morris for exciting Cal Bears podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal offense sharp despite absence of top two scorers, rout Northridge 87-56

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–A late announcement reveals the Cal Bears to be without their top two offensive threats.

In 2020, that’s par for the course. You must adjust.

With Matt Bradley dealing with a knee injury, and Grant Anticevich out after appendectomy surgery, the offensively-challenged Bears had few places to turn. Fortunately, two of those places were to graduate transfers Ryan Betley and Makale Foreman.

Foreman and Betley–arguably more impressive and consistent than Anticevich and Bradley thus far–answered the call. The duo combined for 42 points, making nine 3-pointers, in what was ironically Cal’s best offensive performance to date, an 87-56 rout of Cal State Northridge.

“I thought we did a lot of things that were really sound, and allowed us to build a lead, play from in front and get some young guys some experience,” coach Mark Fox said.

The Bears shot 60 percent from the field and registered their most convincing win since beating Oregon State in February 2017. Coming in, the Bears were shooting just 43 percent from the floor in averaging 65 points per game.

Joel Brown had his best game of the season with 10 points, shooting a perfect 5 for 5 from the field. Jarret Hyder, the Fresno State transfer, made his Cal debut with six points in 18 minutes off the bench. Lars Thiemann and Andre Kelly were Cal’s replacement starters and both registered exemplary games.

Not surprisingly, the Matadors, who agreed to play Cal earlier this week, weren’t pleased with their play. Besides their far too accomodating defense, they shot 35 percent and committed 17 turnovers.

“We’re a lot better and I believe we can be better,” coach Mark Gottfried said. “We turned the ball over a lot, we took bad shots, our shot selection was poor, I thought defensively we had a hard time containing the dribble and they blew right by us a number of times.”

TJ Starks, the Matadors leading scorer, was held to 13 points, and Atin Wright added 10.

Cal (4-4, 0-2) concludes its fluidly constructed non-conference schedule on Tuesday with a visit from Seattle U. Redhawks at 2pm.

Cal Bears men basketball podcast with Michael Duca: Boston trip scratched out of precaution; Home games planned for the 19th and 22

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Cal had lots to celebrate on Sun Dec 13th at Haas Pavilion with a three point buzzer beater from Makale Foreman to get a two point 72-70 win over the USF Dons at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley (calbears.com photo)

Cal Bears mens basketball podcast:

#1 The Cal MBB (3-4) trip to Boston College (1-5) has been canceled as a Cal statement said “out of an abundance of caution” neither school has registered any positive test for Covid 19. The game was scheduled for Dec 22 but now Cal will play a home game against Seattle University.

#2 Michael, Cal’s last game still a subject of discussion that incredible upset win over the USF Dons (5-3) I know you had a chance to see it when Makale Foreman took a three point shoot in the closing minute that won it for Cal.

#3 Taking a look at the game against USF did Cal head coach Mark Fox do somethings to tweak the offense and this is a team that didn’t panic but played up to the opponent and pretty much stayed with one of the best college teams.

#4 Cal has got some help from Grant Anticevich (18) and Matt Bradley (17) the Bears will certainly rely on them this season to provide offense and scoring.

#5 Cal has added two home games Dec 19 vs. CSUN and Dec 22 against Seattle University it has to be a relief for all involved that Cal doesn’t have to make that cross country to trip to Boston.

Join Michael for Cal basketball podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cal Bears podcast with Morris Phillips: Bears come to life in second half get big win over USF by a bucket

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An aerial shot of the Cal Bears Mikael Foreman taking the winning shot for three points at the buzzer sinks a win for Cal over the USF Dons at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley (@CalMBBall photo)

On the Cal Bears podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris the Cal Bears got an unexpected win over the USF Dons (5-3) on Saturday at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley was this one as good as it gets?

#2 The Dons put on an offensive performance in the first half with a 37-29 but in the second half the Bears came out and turned things around outscoring the Dons by ten 43-33.

#3 Morris, what fired up the Bears to play such a second half like that. They brought in a three game losing streak and that included their recent loss at Pepperdine. There were some doubters regarding Cal before this one started.

# 4 Speaking of that second half the Bears got offensive help from Grant Anticevich 18 pts, Andre Kelly 22 pts and Matt Bradley 17 pts the offense distributed nicely and coach Mark Fox had to be relieved by his players who finished in double digits.

#5 The Bears next are at Boston College Dec 22 who are 1-5, 15th in the ACC. BC has a four game losing streak. Coming off this win against the Dons after losing three straight before which Bears team will show up on Dec 22?

Join Morris Phillips for Cal Basketball podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Foreman’s shot at the buzzer gives Cal their only lead in 72-70 win over USF

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–“Sometimes, you gotta do more,” said Cal coach Mark Fox.

Fox certainly got more grit and determination from his Bears in an improbable 72-70 win over USF at Haas Pavilion on Sunday. Makale Foreman’s 3-point basket just a fraction of a second before the final horn gave the Bears the win and their only lead of the day.

After a string of disappointing losses the Bears played smarter, harder and more efficiently against the Dons. But it didn’t amount to much until the game’s final play. In the final eight seconds Cal rushed the ball up the full length of the floor with Matt Bradley passing to Grant Anticevich then to Foreman at the 3-point arc just ahead of the final buzzer.

The Bears showed tremendous patience in getting the ball to their graduate transfer Foreman, the team’s only high percentage option from distance. By backing up four feet beyond the arc Foreman created the needed distance to avoid the lunging defender Jamaree Bouyea.

Ironically, Foreman had missed all five of his previous 3-point attempts and six shots in all.

A big factor in the win was Fox getting his team to reduce its shot attempts from distance after they fell to 242nd nationally (out of 315) in 3-point efficiency. In the meantime, Fox continued to encourage Foreman, the eighth most prolific 3-point shooter last season at Stony Brook, to look for his shot.

“He’s a great shooter,” Fox said of Foreman. “The decreased practice time has hurt him.”

The rest of Foreman’s took just nine threes (making five) and instead focused on getting the ball to the basket and drawing fouls. That strategy paid off as Andre Kelly scored a season-high 22 points and the Bears got to the line 23 times (making 16).

Anticevich and Bradley certainly did more, making tough shots with defenders draped on them from inside and out. The senior forward finished with a team-best 18 points and Bradley added 17.

The Dons scored the game’s first five points and led for 39 minutes only to be caught. Bouyea led all scorers with 24 and Kahlil Shabazz added 21. Bouyea went spectacular with his buzzer beater from 65 feet that gave USF a 37-28 halftime lead.

“I thought we played well enough to win, but not well enough to guarantee victory,” USF coach Todd Golden said. 

The Dons were attempting to beat Cal for an unprecedented third consecutive season, with the previous two wins both by double digits.

“Sometimes you gotta do more” was Fox’s explanation to his players for dressing in a traditional suit and tie, in a season where the NCAA has allowed coaches to wear polo shirts and sweat suits. Fox revealed to his team his choice of wardrobe on Saturday with the background story meant to motivate his group.

Apparently the ploy hit home.

The Bears will reveal their next two games later this week as the season on the fly continues. Fox did say there was an issue with one of their East Coast opponents meaning they may have two new opponents on their East swing in the days before Christmas or just one along with Boston College, which was previously announced.

 

Cal-Washington State canceled before kickoff due to COVID issue

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By Morris Phillips

The Cal Bears were supposed to enjoy an exemplary season on the football field. Instead, their season was wrecked by COVID-19 in a such a devastating manner the conversation has regarding their fate has gone national.

And the likely final chapter to their story? The cancelation of Saturday’s game in Pullman against Washington State just two hours before the kickoff due to a Cal lineman registering a positive test on Saturday morning.

In accordance with Pac-12 contact tracing protocol, the positive test triggered the quarantine of additional players at the same position leaving the Bears below the required six scholarship players at that position. With those additional players quaranteened for two weeks, the Bears are unlikely to be able to field a team next weekend either, likely ending their season.

The Cal administration and Coach Justin Wilcox issued a statement that they would not immediately comment on the situation. What is known, the Bears traveled to Pullman Friday, but never took the field for warm-ups on Saturday and abruptly flew back to the Bay Area during the window in which the game was to be played.

“We’re always going to err on the side of caution as a conference,” WSU athletic director Pat Chun said.

That caution has hatched a bunch of critics of the Pac-12 who have had a string of cancelations combined with a delayed time frame allowing no weekend for makeups. Consequently, the Pac-12 season will end next weekend (with opponents still to be determined) with few of the schools completing as many as seven games the truncated season aimed for.

The Bears are currently 1-3 and can’t finish with at least a .500 record ruling out a bowl game appearance. Their COVID situation could hampet another team’s season-ending weekend as well as the conference has ruled out member teams playing outside competition.