Tag: Kayla Williams

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–In the new, unknown, expansive world of ACC basketball, you never know who is going to walk out of the visiting locker room. At least, most times you don’t. Again, this isn’t a world of kissing cousins.

At Haas Pavilion on Sunday, the downward-trending Syracuse Orange busted out of their personality with mayhem and an upset on their minds. Almost immediately, the Cal women were put on watch.

In a game with 13 lead changes and as many gut checks, the Golden Bears prevailed with a big fourth quarter in a 75-69 win.

“It was a game that was pretty tight there and could have gone either way, and I thought we imposed our will, and that’s something we’re going to need on the road for sure,” coach Charmin Smith said.

While the visitors played well for three quarters, making shots and denying Cal the three point looks they desire, Cal held on, waiting for their opportunity to surge, although neither team held more than a six-point lead at any point.

Kayla Williams came up with maybe the biggest basket of the game with Cal leading 68-65 with 1:16 remaining. Williams drove to the basket and scored to give the hosts a two-possession lead. Williams led Cal with 21 points, five assists and just one turnover. Cal played out of character with just five made threes on the afternoon, and only 12 turnovers. The sure-handed ball possession was key in such a close contest in which both teams shot it well until the Syracuse shooters faltered late.

Marta Suarez, Michelle Onyiah and Lulu Twidale also scored in double figures for Cal. Georgia Wooley led Syracuse with 23 points, and Sophie Burrows added 10.

The Bears (21-6, 9-5) hit the road again next week, traveling to Virgina for games against Cavaliers, and a second contest against Virginia Tech.

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY, CA–Doing something once could be an aberration. Doing it repeatedly, intentionally, and forcefully is difficult but draws positive attention.

That description fits the Cal women and defines their 8-1 start to the season, which now includes a groundbreaking win over No. 19 Alabama in the ACC-SEC Challenge.

The Bears–much like a cross-country flight–have arrived. After nine games, they can say they’ve developed a method to win games that works. Combine that with being nearly completely healthy and having room for more contributors and growth over the entire season makes for a bright picture.

Thursday was a great win but also an opportunity to acknowledge the faith the Bears have shown in each other just to get them to this point.

“Doing it with people you love, and people you enjoy doing it with it’s a lot of fun,” Marta Suarez said. “It’s a great feeling for sure.”

Coach Charmin Smith, who has held the whole program together for six years despite tremendous odds caused by frequent losses and rough results, lifted the moment after the final horn on the microphone to the departing crowd. 

“See you at the next one. You know who’s next,” she said, reminding everyone that Stanford visits a week from Friday.

Smith was brief, needing to say just a little, and noticeably emotional. Good stuff, and not only for people who compare coaches’ exhortations.

Suarez became effusive when asked about the team’s growing chemistry and their uncanny knack for getting the ball to the hot hand a high rate.

“We are intentional about it. We have conversations about it. We try to get to know each other better. We try to be there for each other. It’s not something that just happens,” Suarez said. “The coaches do a good job recruiting and taking care of that culture. ‘Who are we bringing in? How do they fit with the pieces we have?'”

“We’re intentional about it, and we’re proud about it.”

Thursday’s game turned immediately after halftime when the Bears got hot, hitting 10 of their 13 shots to grab a lead after trailing 34-26. Alabama briefly regained the lead to start the fourth, but Ioanna Krimili’s three on which she was fouled produced a four-point play. The Bears never trailed again over the final six minutes.

Kayla Williams led Cal with 21 points, six rebounds, and a bunch of smart decisions that kept the offense humming after halftime. Smith pointed to Michelle Onyiah’s presence after she was limited by foul trouble in the first half. With Onyiah operating around the basket, things opened things up for Suarez, who finished with 16 points, six assists.

“It was a great game for Marta on both ends of the floor. And then Kayla making plays, hitting dagger threes and responding. These guys didn’t hang their heads, and they responded. That’s the true sign of winners,” Smith said.

Zaay Green tied her season-best with 28 points to lead Alabama. Coach Kristy Curry pointed to reserve Diane Collins’ absence impacting the Tides’ rotation, which saw four starters play 38 minutes, not including starting post Essence Cody, who played 32 minutes but was under the weather.

“Cal made a few more plays,” Curry said. “They’re a really good team. They’re a veteran team. I love how they shoot the basketball. They have a great inside presence, so really balanced one through five.”

The Bears travel to Pacific on Saturday afternoon to face Pacific at 2:00p.m.

(picture courtesy of Colin Mulvany, The Spokesman-Review)

By Morris Phillips

Kayla Williams has already been in the right place before… twice.

On Thursday at Gonzaga, Williams was the embodiment of the right place (at the right time) again.

The graduate transfer from USC put up 25 points, six assists, four steals, and Cal never trailed in an 86-65 win at Gonzaga. The Bears improved to 4-0, and now have their initial statement victory for NCAA Tournament consideration.

Lulu Twidale had 18 points, Ioanna Krimili added 17, and Marta Suarez scored 14 while holding Zags standout Maud Huijbens to 0 of 6 shooting. Williams sprinted up the floor right before halftime and sank a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to put Cal up 13. With 25 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Williams struck again from distance to put Cal up 19, entering the fourth.

The Bears shot 58 percent from the floor for the game after starting 13 of 20 through the first 13 minutes of play.  Gonzaga uncharacteristically committed 24 turnovers.

“We have these inexperienced guards that are handling the ball a lot, and they’ve (the Bears) got some good defenders,” coach Lisa Fortier said. “Some of them were forced, but other times too, we were a bit casual.”

Yvonne Ejim, the Canadian Olympian, didn’t score her first basket until 26 seconds remained in the first quarter, with Gonzaga already trailing by double digits. Cal’s center Michelle Onyiah played Ejim physically throughout and temporarily forced the Zags’ leading scorer to initiate her offense at the free throw line and back. Ejim finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, but only her first two baskets briefly shaved Cal’s lead to single digits. Ejim’s subsequent six baskets and ten made free throws all came with Cal leading comfortably.

“We are going to get turnovers because we’re trying to make the right reads,” Ejim said. “They’re there. We’re just not connecting. That just takes time.”

The Bears frustrated the home team’s starters with physical defense that left Gonzaga tentative and forced seven turnovers in the initial surge. The Zags’ new backcourt in place of the graduated and departed Truong sisters played well eventually, but went into the third quarter struggling to get Ejim the ball consistently.

Ines Bettencourt’s misdirected pass into the post bounced out of bounds, followed by a three-second violation as Ejim couldn’t shed Onyiah in a third quarter sequence that left the home team’s leading scorer visibly frustrated. Again, Ejim recovered, but after the game’s outcome was cemented.

Natalia Ackerman provided one of the two made baskets from Cal’s bench, but she did so adroitly, reaching behind herself to grab a pass, then turning 180 degrees toward the basket to lay it in. Ackerman’s third quarter basket put Cal up 50-38.

“Taking care of the ball and the way that we can shoot and score the ball definitely were strengths of ours,” coach Charmin Smith said. “On the defensive end, to force them into 24 turnovers is huge and bodes well for where we’re trying to head defensively and thinking about defending ACC teams.”

Williams began her career at UC Irvine, where she was Big West Freshman of the year with a career-best 32 points in January 2021 and first-team all-conference as a sophomore. She transferred to USC and helped lead the Women of Troy to their first NCAA appearance under coach Lindsay Gottlieb. But after starting all 31 games that season, Juju Watkins’ arrival relegated the 5’7″ guard to the bench in her senior season.

That demotion was Williams’ impetus for pursuing a graduate season at Cal, where she has regained her superior play immediately. She was 9 of 12 from floor against Gonzaga and a defensive pest in the Zags’ passing lanes.

The Bears attempt to stay unbeaten on Wednesday when Grambling visits Haas Pavilion at 7:00pm.