Tomorrow's game will be Markhuri Sanders-Frison's last game at Haas (unless the Bears play an NIT game in Berkeley). His teammates and coaches are going to miss the big guy.
They're going to miss his ability to throw his weight around on the court, deliver unvarnished verbal encouragement in the heat of the moment and make that left-handed jump hook shot that everyone knows is coming but no one can stop.
They'll miss his mile-wide smiles and his fearsome glares. "He can be scary," junior teammate Harper Kamp said.
At 6-foot-7, 265 pounds, there is nothing delicate or subtle about Sanders-Frison, who will play his final scheduled home game Saturday against Stanford. He's a man of big appetites and big dreams.
Asked recently about the Bears' postseason hopes, he provided an almost poetic answer. "We want to aim for the stars and land on the clouds."
At home in Portland, Ore., Sanders-Frison was the second-oldest of eight children and adept at blocking out the competition at the dinner table. "They were very excited when I left," he said, laughing.
But the Bears will miss him.
"He's a ton of fun to play with," Kamp said. "He's very unselfish on the floor, he's a smart player, and he's just tough."
"He's a very good leader, a vocal guy," said junior guard Jorge Gutierrez, a leader of far fewer words.
Sanders-Frison joined the Bears before the 2009-10 season as a transfer from South Plains Junior College in Texas. "He's been a great teammate, and he was from the get-go," coach Mike Montgomery said.
After the jump the women's basketball wraps up the regular season, baseball continues its winning ways, Faraudo breaks down Pac-10 tourney seeding in the event of a tie, and Aaron Rodgers comments on rumors that he's dating Mila Kunis.
Basketball
- The women's team wrapped up the regular season with a 75-51 loss to second-ranked Stanford.
- If Monty's crew wins tomorrow, the Bears will finish fourth in the conference. Washington State and USC will also finish fourth if they win. Thankfully, Faraudo breaks down the Pac-10 tournament seeding in the event of a two or three-way tie.
- Jorge, MSF, and Brandon Smith are among the Pac-10s most improved players (in terms of scoring) this season.
- Da'End Parker and CCSF keep rolling: they defeated Reedley 85-67 to advance to the third round of the NorCal JC Playoffs.
- Monty says his recruiting class is complete for 2011-2012.
- The 2011 schedule has been finalized.
- Ted Miller reviews the team's many staff changes. He's optimistic (as always) about the Bears' changes this offseason.
- SBN Bay Area has summaries of all of Cameron Jordan's measurements/times in all categories. It's amazing that Vereen managed to bench more than Jordan.
- Jordan's most likely destination is New England as the 17th pick or San Diego as the 18th pick, but others may decide they want to choose him sooner.
- Thanks to Jim Brown, DeSean Jackson managed to leave Cal debt-free by avoiding people who wanted to take advantage of him.
- Aaron Rodgers denies the rumors that he and Mila Kunis are dating.
- Desmond Bishop's rise has led the Green Bay Packers to cut AJ Hawk.
- JO wonders of Maynard can emerge as the team's top QB this spring.
- In addition to Seawright and Lagemann, four other players will not return to the team this fall.