So, five seniors (four of them starters) departed. Then the other starter was dismissed. Another one of our guards transferred. Our backup center left to dominate the Chinese basketball circuit. Then during the season, our potential backup small forward was lost to injury and our starting guard transferred.
So if you're counting, for much of the season, Cal had to play with our defensive stopper converted into offensive showman, a skilled power forward with limited rebounding ability, a solid center with one go-to post move, a sophomore D-I backup point guard racking up 30+ minutes a game, and three frosh, one sophomore who pretty much played no minutes, one transfer, and two walk-ons. Basically imagine how the Los Angeles Lakers roster was constructed, then picture the exact opposite, and you have the 2010-11 California Golden Bears.
Somehow, Mike Montgomery turned that into an 18 win season and a 10-8 conference record, with FIVE of those losses coming down to the final minute. Monty is some kinda coach, and we better enjoy him while we still got him.
And I can't wait to see what he can do with what should be his first real legit eight/nine-man rotation next season. We know Monty can coach, but coaching coachable talent?
Eight months and counting.