Golden Nuggets: WBB uses Thanksgiving to bond and help others before winning the Nugget Classic

Ah, Thanksgiving. The day where we tell people "thanks" for everything they've given us. How was everyone's Thanksgiving?

The women's basketball team continued to prove why they are so outstanding on and off the court. With appeal that, uh... is so appealing, the team has attracted a number of players beyond the Bay Area, including international students. Mikayla Lyles, a product of the Bay, wrote a piece for ESPN about her family's celebration, which has generously expanded to welcome all of her teammates.

Never in a million years would I have pictured my last four Thanksgivings to be spent with different people, in different places and enjoying different meals. As a student-athlete you don't always know where you are going to end up for Thanksgiving; sometimes it's at a tournament, sometimes a single game, or sometimes even a road trip!

It's like holiday roulette; you don't know what you are going to get. Whereas most undergrads continue their traditions by going home every year, we have the unique and embraceable opportunity to create new traditions.

...

Regardless of where we have ended up on Thanksgiving Day, my mom always has made it a point to provide me and my team a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal before we hit the road. I am a local kid, so home for me is only about 30 minutes away. For someone like my teammate Avigiel Cohen, who is from Israel, this became her new tradition.

Yes, Lyles is discussing her last undergrad Thanksgiving, which just reminds me of how horridly old I am.

This year, the team was in Reno for the Nugget Classic, so they spent their Thanksgiving at the Renown Children's Hospital. There are a few pictures here and a quick interview with Lyles, who also gets photo videobombed by another Golden Bear.

Cal's time in Reno would be well-spent as the Bears would win the Nugget Classic with Brittany Boyd and Reshanda Gray picking up individual honors.

Your Nugget Classic championship team along with All-Tournament team members Reshanda Gray & Brittany Boyd (MVP)! pic.twitter.com/Mwb6Xmf3yz

— Cal Basketball (@CalWBBall) December 1, 2013

Men's Water Polo

• The fifth-ranked Golden Bears lost to the fourth-ranked Trojans in the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament
• In the consolation round, Cal took out their frustrations on UC Irvine in a big win

Men's Basketball

• Jason Kidd was fined $50,000 for deceitfully spilling his drink to effectively get an extra time out

Women's Basketball

• In her first game of the season following a concussion, Justine Hartman led no. 20 Cal to victory over Wake Forest to kick off the Nugget Classic tournament

Volleyball

• Our slightly-less-wounded Bears were unable to vanquish evil in the Big Spike, giving Stanfurd another win over Cal this year

Football

• Cal commit QB Luke Rubenzer set a career record for the state of Arizona

— Richard Obert (@azc_obert) November 30, 2013

• Deadspin's all-team rankings note that our abysmal season "never gave any indication of turning a corner toward a more promising 2014"

Week	Cal's rank
Preseason	88
1	65
2	74
3	79
4	76
5	81
6	77
7	86
8	92
9	93
10	100
11	95
13	102
14	100