California Golden Blogs - Cal Men's Basketball Wins The DirecTV ClassicThe OG CGB team moved to WriteForCalifornia.com. Cal Golden Bears coverage by SBNation.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48267/cgb-fave.png2012-11-25T22:43:38-08:00http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/rss/stream/34438032012-11-25T22:43:38-08:002012-11-25T22:43:38-08:00Cal 78, Pacific 58: DirecTV Tournament Champs!
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>A hot start and a hot finish earned Cal a pre-season tournament championship that could end up proving valuable when the real tournament comes calling in March.</p> <p>It was the battle of Northern California basketball teams that nobody expected! But in the end, Cal did to Pacific what you would expect a team of Cal's quality to do to a solid-but-still-improving UOP squad.</p>
<p>And I'm sure we'll all have our own personal quibbles with various stretches of the 2nd half that saw the Tigers narrow a 14 point halftime lead all the way down to 5 points. There were certainly occasional issues for Monty to worry about - missed lay-ins, fumbled entry passes, lapses on the defensive glass, sloppy turnovers all conspired to distract from everything else that Cal did well.</p>
<p>Luckily, the Bears fixed all of those issues with a 19-4 run in the last 6:42 of the game. they made 8-9 shots, didn't turn the ball over (until Cobbs threw the ball out of bounds with 3 seconds left) and allowed only one final UOP field goal. It's still early in the season and the team hasn't truly been tested by a sure-fire tournament team yet, but they've certainly shown a nice propensity towards playing their best on both ends at the end of a game.</p>
<p>And focusing on what Cal didn't do would mean losing sight of what did go right. The defense to start the game was excellent, and although defensive execution didn't stay at that level for the entire game, there weren't many stretches when UOP got multiple good looks. The Bears started out just as hot on the offensive end, particularly <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123296/allen-crabbe">Allen Crabbe</a>. Before you could blink the Bears were up 27-10. And although UOP fought back like you knew they would, it was a huge hole to try to climb back out of.</p>
<p>Other thoughts:</p>
<p>-Ho-hum, 44 points from 26 shots by Cobbs and Crabbe. It's hard to find new, nice things to say about the duo, especially against teams that they're supposed to do stuff like this against. It is worth noting that again both dominated offensively without the 3 ball falling.</p>
<p>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123295/richard-solomon">Richard Solomon</a> has another good outing.I want to avoid making too much of it because UOP is a smaller team, but Solomon did exactly what you'd want him to do. He was a viable threat on offense, he (alongside Kravish) controlled the defensive glass, and he punished the Tigers whenever he got the ball in good position down low. There are still some kinks to work on - he could go up stronger, for example - but he's drawing fouls and finishing the job from the line, which is miles better than getting stripped or losing the ball out of bounds, which is happening less.</p>
<p>-Brandon Smith looking more and more like sophomore year Smitty. We all know that Smith doesn't need to do a ton to be a valuable guy in the rotation. Facilitate the offense, play solid D, don't turn the ball over on offense, and hit jump shots when the defense doesn't respect you. As best I could tell, all check marks today and all check marks so far this year. Cal needs his contributions either way, but if Kreklow's injury is a long-term thing, it becomes even more critical.</p>
<p>-A great weekend for Cal's computer numbers. Cal went 3-0. That's obviously good. But Drake, Georgia Tech and UOP combined to go 5-1 when they weren't playing Cal. Prior to playing the Tigers Cal's RPI was 25, and it will probably go higher with Sunday's win. And this is before the real meat of the schedule pumps up the numbers. With the Pac-12 looking stronger, Cal will have only themselves to blame if they're not busy in March.</p>
<p>-An unproven, undefeated pre-season tournament champ? Yes, probably. Most of these pre-season tournaments feature multiple big hitters. But the field in Anaheim featured only one major conference team and the mid-majors with decent reputations suffered upsets. The simple reality is that Cal has yet to face a team that is expected to make the NCAA tournament.</p>
<p>That all changes very quickly. Wisconsin, UNLV and Creighton are all heavy hitters. We still don't really know how much this team is capable of. Remember how excited we all were about last year before the Missouri game? Sometimes measuring up against the best can be humbling, sometimes legitimizing. Let's hope for the latter.</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/25/3691902/cal-78-pacific-58-directv-tournament-champsNick Kranz2012-11-25T17:35:46-08:002012-11-25T17:35:46-08:00Cal v. Pacific Open Thread! GO BEARS!
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<figcaption>Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Use this thread to discuss all the Championship action!</p> <p>Well, our Golden Bears are in the finals here in Anaheim of the DirecTV Classic. They took down Drake, beat Georgia Tech, and now have only Pacific between them and DirecTV Glory! Perhaps if Cal wins, DirecTV might actually show the Pac-12 Network. How ironic.</p>
<p>Here is the broadcast information:</p>
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<p><br>The ESPN family of networks continue to provide live television coverage of the DIRECTV Classic. The Cal-Pacific matchup will be televised on ESPN2 with Dave Flemming handling the play-by-play and Sean Farnham serving as an analyst. The game can be accessed on WatchESPN.com.</p>
<p>The Cal IMG Sports Network will carry the game on KSFS NewsTalk 910 AM locally with Cal alum Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play) and Todd McKim (analyst) on the call. The broadcast is also available through CalBears.com/All-Access. The pre-game show starts at 5:30 p.m.</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/25/3685596/cal-basketball-vs-uop-preview">We can learn a bit more about Pacific here:</a></p>
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<p><br>In stark contrast to the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, the Tigers are smaller, but much more skilled. This is a very good shooting team.(50.4% FG) <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145916/lorenzo-mccloud">Lorenzo McCloud</a> is their leading scorer and playmaker. Besides shooting 53% from the field, he's been hot from deep at a ridiculous 62.5% He's also quite good at getting himself to the line (28 FT attempts on the year) where he knocks them down at a 75% clip. Good thing we can shut him down with Jorge...yeah.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175187/sama-taku">Sama Taku</a> does most of his damage inside the arc as an opportunistic jump shooter. Although he stands just 6'4, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145912/colin-beatty">Colin Beatty</a> is a beast on the glass. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124138/khalil-kelley">Khalil Kelley</a> is their lone inside threat, but is quite capable of tossing in a hook or dunking it on you if he gets position. Their other forward, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145917/ross-rivera">Ross Rivera</a>, is more of an outside-in jump-shooting threat who can stretch the defense with his range.</p>
<p>Off the bench, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145918/travis-fulton">Travis Fulton</a> is actually the teams leading rebounder. He's another one of those pesky high-motor guys who likes to mix it up inside and get himself to the line. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145911/trevin-harris">Trevin Harris</a> is a dangerous shooter who leads them in three point attempts and makes. (7/12)</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/112412aab.html">Or here:</a></p>
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<p><br>Cal improved to 5-0 on the season with a 67-58 victory over Georgia Tech on Friday in the DIRECTV Classic semifinals. The Bears used 17 points from junior <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99907/justin-cobbs">Justin Cobbs</a> and 12 points and nine rebounds from fellow junior <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123295/richard-solomon">Richard Solomon</a> to down the Yellow Jackets.</p>
<p>Four of the Bears' five wins have come by double digits, including Friday's 11-point win over GT. The junior guard duo of Cobbs and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123296/allen-crabbe">Allen Crabbe</a> have led Cal in scoring in each of the first five games. Crabbe paces the Bears with a 21.6 ppg. average, while Cobbs is averaging 20.0 ppg. The pair has combined for 208 of the team's 370 points this season. Crabbe became the 42nd member of the school's 1,000-point club with 20 points at Denver three games ago. He enters Friday's semifinals 39th in the Cal scoring record books with 1,038 points in 70 career games.</p>
<p>Crabbe and Cobbs are joined in the line-up by Solomon, sophomore forward <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145149/david-kravish">David Kravish</a> and senior guard Brandon Smith. The Bears have used the same starting lineup in all five games.</p>
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<p>Use this thread to discuss all the MBB action. GO BEARS!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/25/3690884/cal-mens-basketball-v-university-of-pacific-open-threadTwist NHook2012-11-25T03:00:29-08:002012-11-25T03:00:29-08:00Cal Bball vs. UOP Preview
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<figcaption>Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>After squeaking by the feisty jump-shooters from Drake, and the tough bruisers from Georgia Tech, it's on to the title round against...the UOP Tigers?</p>
<p>Despite starting the year 1-2 with losses to Fresno State and Oral Roberts, UOP shocked everyone except for themselves with back to back upsets of Xavier and pre-tourney favorite St. Mary's.</p>
<p>These performances are no fluke; the final score may have only been 76-66, but make no mistake - UOP was blowing out the Gaels by as much as nineteen before garbage time.</p>
<p>Although they don't have a player in their rotation taller than 6'8, the Tigers are out-rebounding teams through sheer hustle. They also use their depth and quickness to run a physical, swarming, trapping defense that disrupts offensive rhythm and forces turnovers. On offense, they have a balanced attack with several players all capable of putting up double figures. They go 9+ deep and bring plenty of scoring and rebounding off the bench.</p>
<p>This is a team playing with confidence, a high level of intensity, and they absolutely will punch the Bears in the mouth if we don't take them seriously.</p> <p> </p>
<p><br><b>Starters:</b></p>
<p>F <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124138/khalil-kelley" class="sbn-auto-link">Khalil Kelley</a>(Jr), 6'8, 225 lbs, 6.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg<br>F <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145917/ross-rivera" class="sbn-auto-link">Ross Rivera</a>(Jr), 6'7, 225 lbs, 9.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg<br>G <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145912/colin-beatty" class="sbn-auto-link">Colin Beatty</a>(6'4), 205 lbs, 3.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg<br>G <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145916/lorenzo-mccloud" class="sbn-auto-link">Lorenzo McCloud</a>(Sr), 6'0, 170 lbs, 12.8 ppg, 3.8 apg<br>G <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175187/sama-taku" class="sbn-auto-link">Sama Taku</a>(Jr) 6'1, 185 lbs, 8.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg</p>
<p><b>Bench:</b></p>
<p>G <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100572/andrew-bock" class="sbn-auto-link">Andrew Bock</a>(Jr), 6'1, 185 lbs, 3.2 ppg<br>G <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145919/rodrigo-de-souza" class="sbn-auto-link">Rodrigo De Souza</a>(Sr), 6'2, 200 lbs, 3.6 ppg<br>F <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145918/travis-fulton" class="sbn-auto-link">Travis Fulton</a>(Sr), 6'6, 220 lbs, 7.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg<br>F <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145911/trevin-harris" class="sbn-auto-link">Trevin Harris</a>(Jr), 6'5, 215 lbs, 6.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg</p>
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<a style="text-decoration:none;color:#999;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11px" target="_blank" href="http://statsheet.com/mcb">College Basketball Stats</a><br><script src="http://statsheet.com/charts/chartlets/2012/11/24/mcb_teams_pacific_541959.js" type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript"></script>
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<p>In stark contrast to the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets, the Tigers are smaller, but much more skilled. This is a very good shooting team.(50.4% FG) Lorenzo McCloud is their leading scorer and playmaker. Besides shooting 53% from the field, he's been hot from deep at a ridiculous 62.5% He's also quite good at getting himself to the line (28 FT attempts on the year) where he knocks them down at a 75% clip. Good thing we can shut him down with Jorge...yeah.</p>
<p>Sama Taku does most of his damage inside the arc as an opportunistic jump shooter. Although he stands just 6'4, Colin Beatty is a beast on the glass. Khalil Kelley is their lone inside threat, but is quite capable of tossing in a hook or dunking it on you if he gets position. Their other forward, Ross Rivera, is more of an outside-in jump-shooting threat who can stretch the defense with his range.</p>
<p>Off the bench, Travis Fulton is actually the teams leading rebounder. He's another one of those pesky high-motor guys who likes to mix it up inside and get himself to the line. Trevin Harris is a dangerous shooter who leads them in three point attempts and makes. (7/12)</p>
<p><b>Keys to the Game:</b></p>
<p>1) Be strong with the ball.</p>
<p>In almost every game this year, Cal has been prone to lapses in concentration where we get sloppy with the ball. UOP likes to use pressure and traps by their defense to generate easy offense. They frustrated St. Mary's star senior guard Dellavedova by bumping him all over the court. He didn't turn the ball over, but his teammates did once he was forced to give it up. Count on the Tigers trying to use the same strategy against Cobbs to see if they can get the ball out of his hands. You can also expect to see someone from UOP wearing Crabbe's jersey all night. Cobbs has been very, very good with the ball in his hands and might be too quick for them to trap easily. Where I'm concerned is when Smith has to bring it up and when our bigs have to make good decisions under pressure.</p>
<p>2) Stay on the floor.</p>
<p>I'm looking at you, bigs. In some ways, this is just as tough a match-up for the Cal big men as last game's brawl against a bigger team. Kravish, Thurman, and Solo need to be ready to guard the Tiger forwards all the way out to the perimeter. As tempting as it is to go for the highlight shot-block, we have to avoid that fool's gold and be disciplined with our close-outs. If we're going to get blocks, it has to come from backside help. Using our length effectively to force tough shots and not falling for pump-fakes has got to be one of our main focuses on defense.</p>
<p>Of equal importance, we have to use our size effectively to bully a smaller team on the glass. It was a step forward last game for our post players. They need to take another one and start dominating favorable match-ups. If our big guys can't get it done, expect to see a lot of 4-out, 1-in so that we can cover their shooters. Unfortunately, with Kreklow out, our guard rotation is very short while one of their strengths is firepower off the bench.</p>
<p>3) Play forty minutes.</p>
<p>At our worst, we miss box-outs, blow defensive assignments, and don't hustle back on defense. This type of lackadaisical approach is exactly what a scrappy team like UOP will feast upon. They know they're punching above their weight-class and just don't give a damn. We'll need to match their intensity, avoid getting frustrated, and play smart. It certainly wouldn't hurt for <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123296/allen-crabbe" class="sbn-auto-link">Allen Crabbe</a> to bounce back with a big game. Let's do this.</p>
<p>Go Bears!</p>
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<p><b>Tip-off: 6pm PST</b></p>
<p><b>TV: ESPN2</b></p>
<p><b>Radio: 910AM</b></p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/25/3685596/cal-basketball-vs-uop-previewKodiak2012-11-24T22:14:55-08:002012-11-24T22:14:55-08:00Time To Make Anaheim Bear Territory!
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<figcaption>Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Time to make Anaheim Bear Territory!</p> <p>Via Fiatlux, we get this message from Mike Montgomery:</p>
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<p>Hey Cal Fans -</p>
<p>From all of us on the Men's Basketball Team, we hope you're having a great Thanksgiving weekend. We'd like you to help bring it to a victorious close on Sunday night. We've won the first two games of the DirecTv Classic here in Anaheim. We beat Drake on Thursday night and Georgia Tech Friday night. We play in the final against UoP on Sunday at 6PM at the Anaheim Convention Center. Given it's the holiday we've had great support from the Cal community but I'd like to challenge all Cal alumni in LA, OC, The Inland Empire and even San Diego, to come to the Anaheim Convention Center Sunday night for the Championship Game and let's turn it into Haas South.</p>
<p>Tickets are free for students with their ID! Otherwise the tickets are only about $20 and if you bring a canned good you get a ticket for $11. That's a deal and it's a great intimate venue to see your Bears play up close.</p>
<p>Again, we play at 6PM on Sunday at the Anaheim Convention Center. The players really feed off your energy and I'd like to show the ESPN audience that Bear Territory extends throughout California.</p>
<p>So come and join us and while you're at it be loud! Sunday, 6PM, Anaheim Convention Center.</p>
<p>Go Bears!</p>
<p>Mike Montgomery</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/112412aab.html" target="_blank">All of the game information is right here:</a></p>
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<p>ANAHEIM - California meets fellow northern California school, Pacific, in the championship game of the DIRECTV Classic on Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Anaheim Convention Center as the Bears look to open the season 6-0 for the first time since the 2007-08 season</p>
<p>The ESPN family of networks continue to provide live television coverage of the DIRECTV Classic. The Cal-Pacific matchup will be televised on ESPN2 with Dave Flemming handling the play-by-play and Sean Farnham serving as an analyst. The game can be accessed on WatchESPN.com.</p>
<p>The Cal IMG Sports Network will carry the game on KSFS NewsTalk 910 AM locally with Cal alum Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play) and Todd McKim (analyst) on the call. The broadcast is also available through CalBears.com/All-Access. The pre-game show starts at 5:30 p.m.</p>
<p>The 2012 field for the DIRECTV Classic consists of Cal, Drake, Rice, Georgia Tech, Drexel, Saint Mary's, Xavier and Pacific. The tournament concludes with four games on Sunday, with the first contest slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. (PT) and the title game set for 6 p.m.</p>
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<p>GO BEARS! </p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/24/3687688/coach-mike-montgomery-wants-you-to-be-at-the-pacific-game-6-pm-sundayTwist NHook2012-11-23T23:09:49-08:002012-11-23T23:09:49-08:00Cal Basketball Outslugs Georgia Tech, 68-57
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Right out of the gates, the two teams began exchanging blows. True to form, the Yellowjackets hit the offensive glass and made a concerted effort to work it inside. With all the attention being paid to Cobbs and Crabbe, the Bears were able to find Kravish in the lane early for six quick points. Although the Bears eked out a slim five point lead at the fifteen minute mark, Georgia Tech's defense kept it close as an ugly, scrappy game. By the ten minute mark, it was all tied up at 17. </p> <p>Solomon struggled early on both ends, and Crabbe had trouble freeing himself for open looks. When Cobbs got picked for a turnover, the Bears neglected to hustle back and the Yellowjackets took their first lead with an And-One transition lay-up. Moments later, another steal turned into points and it became a 22-17 deficit.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">After a quick Monty timeout and team-wide chew-out for the lack of effort, the Bears stopped the bleeding thanks to a nifty Cobbs spin and pull-up jumper. Ears ringing from Monty's disappointment, the Cal players showed a noticeable increase in defensive energy and effort as they started to force stops.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Solomon added two free throws after being fouled on a clever inbounds play. Then, Wallace worked a give and go with Thurman for a finger roll. And the lead was cut to one.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Another stop on D and then Cobbs found Kravish on the baseline for a jumper and the lead.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">But the Yellowjackets responded with a three pointer and a putback dunk to reclaim a three point advantage with minutes to play. While the Bears were struggling to consistently box out and to stay disciplined on defense, it was compounded by a lack of rhythm on offense.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Just as it looked like Georgia Tech was starting to pull away, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101471/robert-thurman" class="sbn-auto-link">Robert Thurman</a> hustled back to stop a breakaway layup with a block. Crabbe finally freed himself for a pull-up jumper. And then Solomon exerted himself with a strong offensive board that turned into free throws.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">As the clock wound down, Cobbs worked the pick and roll to perfection and found the Thurminator for a dunk at the buzzer. Somehow, despite the turnovers and defensive breakdowns, the Bears managed to find themselves ahead 34-33 at the half.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Georgia Tech was clearly spending a lot of energy making sure that Crabbe wouldn't beat them. They had one man chasing him off the three point line and frequently brought over another to help when he tried to drive. If there was one easy adjustment that needed to be made, it was to make a better effort at getting back in transition. It's these lapses of low energy and lack of hustle that really make us miss Jorge and Harper's leadership. If there was one player who really stood out by working hard on both ends, it was <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145149/david-kravish" class="sbn-auto-link">David Kravish</a>.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Amazingly enough, Cal actually held a rebounding edge, 18-14. If not for the turnovers and transition baskets, it could have been a decisive Bear advantage.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">For once, the Monty halftime speech didn't seem to take; it was a less than ideal start to the second half. Solomon missed a layup, gave up a layup, and then committed an ill-advised foul. This was followed by a careless Cobbs turnover and then a missed breakaway layup by Crabbe. In less than two minutes, the Yellowjackets erased the Cal lead into a three point edge of their own.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">But out of a tv timeout, Monty drew up another patented inbounds play that got Robert Thurman an easy layup. Moments later, Crabbe finally got going with a mid-range jumper and then Cobbs found Thurman running the lane for another layup. It was all tied at 42 as the clock ticked down to the thirteen minute mark.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">There was a noticeable increase in the Bears' defensive energy. Wallace had a highlight reel block off their guard's leg for a turnover. After trying to play behind their posts one on one, Monty went back to quick doubling. It paid off immediately with a steal and breakaway Cobbs dunk.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The Cal lead grew to five off a sweet dump down from Crabbe to Solomon. Then Solo moved his feet and played some inspired defense by denying their best post any entry passes. In frustration, the Yellowjacket big went over the back and gave Solo two more free throws.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/177183/tyrone-wallace" class="sbn-auto-link">Tyrone Wallace</a> dominated the next sequence with another block and then a change of speed drive that resulted in a tough three point play. Now Cal was balling and had a ten point lead to show for it.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Although Georgia Tech was supposed to be the team known for defense and glasswork, it was the Bears who were forcing turnovers and contested shots.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">When <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123296/allen-crabbe" class="sbn-auto-link">Allen Crabbe</a> finally blew the lid off the basket with his first three pointer of the night, it began to look like this one would go to the blue and gold.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Just to make it interesting, missed free throws and a Yellowjacket run cut the lead from 14 to 9. But Tyrone Wallace decided to put any drama to rest by hitting a three with a minute and change to play.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">As the final horn sounded, "Bear Territory" cheers celebrated a 68-57 Cal victory.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">For all the ugliness early, it was incredibly encouraging to see the Bears put it all together in the 2nd half. Defensive rotations were much better as was the effort spent in denying post entry passes. Full credit needs to go to Kravish, Solomon, and Thurman for out-rebounding a very good rebounding team. And Tyrone Wallace stood out as a difference-maker. Monty kept the true frosh on the floor for most of the second half. He lived up to his billing as a lockdown perimeter defender while facilitating ball movement on offense. It's always interesting to see who Monty trusts to close out games. During crunch time, Mr. Wallace didn't leave the floor.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">On the one hand, it's also promising for the growth of this team to see them figure out how to overcome a cold shooting night from Allen Crabbe. On the other, let's hope we don't have to scuffle through too many prolonged slumps like this again.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">It's a day off for our Golden Bears and then on to the championship game this Sunday at 6pm PST. Go Bears! Beat the Tigers!</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
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https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/23/3684674/cal-basketball-outslugs-georgia-tech-68-57Kodiak2012-11-23T20:00:03-08:002012-11-23T20:00:03-08:00Cal v. GaTech Men's Basketball Gamethread!
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ApeKBWt6wxSAw2tWLy2atDUM7vM=/0x354:2927x2305/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/3774515/20121122_jla_aj4_703.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Use this thread to talk all the Cal and GaTech action!</p> <p>Well, Cal made it past Drake last night. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/23/3681490/cal-mens-basketball-defeats-drake-73-70"> You can read more here:</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>From the opening tip to the final buzzer, Drake refused to go away. Although conventional wisdom often calls for teams from lesser leagues to slow the tempo or play a quirky system, the Bulldogs hung their hat on a hard-nosed man-to-defense and pushed the pace whenever they could. It didn't help things that team energizer and new-fan-favorite <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123928/ricky-kreklow" class="sbn-auto-link">Ricky Kreklow</a> re-injured his foot during warm-ups and wasn't able to go.</p>
<p>Even so, Cal ran out to an early 19-9 lead buoyed by some nifty footwork by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123295/richard-solomon" class="sbn-auto-link">Richard Solomon</a> and clever ball movement inside to Richard Thurman.</p>
<p>But the Bulldogs got hot from the perimeter while the Bears struggled to put up good shots. In particular, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123296/allen-crabbe" class="sbn-auto-link">Allen Crabbe</a> had trouble getting free for any decent looks and ended up sitting with foul trouble. Cobbs wasn't able to pick up the slack and the Bears left points on the board at the free throw line. The lead dwindled to 24-23 at the 5 minute mark.</p>
<p>Monty was forced to go to his bench and put in Bak Bak. Moments later, Drake exploited the inside match-up to tie things up 24-all. Cal battled back using a couple of Smith free throws and a nice transition drive by Wallace to regain the lead, 27-24.</p>
<p>Thurman made a nice lefty hook, and Cobbs got himself to the free throw line, but Drake responded to every Cal score with jumpshots of their own. It was all timed up, 33 a piece, at the half.</p>
<p>With Cobbs and Crabbe struggling, it was left to Wallace and...Thurman to carry the scoring load. On the other hand, Drake kept moving the ball and making shots. Previous hints of inconsistent Cal defense were exposed with alarming regularity. With every made bucket, you could see Drake's confidence growing. This is exactly the script which reads, "Upset City."</p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Now, Cal goes up against Georgia Tech. <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/ncb/topics/_/page/directv-classic">You can see the full bracket here. </a> GaTech beat Rice to make it to the second round. I was kind of hoping for a Cal-Rice matchup, because Rice is actually the school where former Cal Coach Ben Braun landed. However, it was not to be! Cal and Georgia Tech are, however, the schools that fought over Stanford Jonah, an old Cal fight song which has a Georgia Tech equivalent. Who wrote it first?</p>
<p>You can learn more about that <a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2010/7/13/1455476/stanford-jonah-the-mystery">here</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2010/7/27/1539949/stanford-jonah-the-mystery">here.</a></p>
<p><b>The game will be at 9 PM PST/Midnight EST. It is being aired on ESPN2.</b> So, if you are an east coast kinda dude (or dudette!), start brewing that coffee. But since you are a Cal fan, make sure it is organic, fair trade!</p>
<p>If Cal beats Georgia Tech, they proceed to the Championship game, it would appear. Their opponent there would be either Saint Mary's or Pacific. So, if Cal can defeat GaTech, it could be a big local Championship bracket. GO BEARS!!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/23/3682370/directtv-classic-cal-v-georgia-tech-mens-basketball-game-threadTwist NHook2012-11-23T09:32:14-08:002012-11-23T09:32:14-08:00Cal Basketball vs. Georgia Tech
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<figcaption>Death Glare! | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Having staged a furious 2nd half comeback to avoid getting Stanford'd by the feisty Drake Bulldogs, the Cal Bears advance to a semi-finals match-up against the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets. Although Georgia Tech ranged from woeful to awful(11-20) last year, they're 3-0 thus far in 2012. Bolstered by plenty of returning veterans and a #16 national recruiting class, the Yellowjackets rely on defense, rebounding, and rugged inside play. It's a good thing Cal hasn't struggled with...defense or rebounding.</p> <p> </p>
<p><br><b>Projected Starters:</b></p>
<p>G Mfon Udofia(Sr), 8 ppg, 3.7 apg<br>G Brandon Reed(Jr), 3ppg<br>F Robert Carter(Fr), 8.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg<br>F Marcus Hunt(Fr), 11.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg<br>C <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/15989/daniel-miller" class="sbn-auto-link">Daniel Miller</a>(Jr), 7.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg</p>
<p><b>Bench:</b><br>G Jason Morris(Jr), 4 ppg<br>F Kammeon Holsey(Jr), 11.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg<br>G <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/12588/chris-bolden" class="sbn-auto-link">Chris Bolden</a>(Fr), 6 ppg</p>
<p> </p>
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<a style="text-decoration:none;color:#999;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11px" target="_blank" href="http://statsheet.com/mcb">College Basketball</a><br><script src="http://statsheet.com/charts/chartlets/2012/11/23/mcb_teams_georgia_tech_982924.js" type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript"></script>
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<p>Hunt and Carter were both ESPN top-60 recruits out of high school. They're strong, athletic and tough around the basket. Veteran center Daniel Miller is their leading shot-blocker and has some nifty passing skills to go along with his primary role of cleaning the glass. If that's not enough, Georgia Tech also has one of those pesky high-motor guys, Kammeon Holsey, for more interior scoring off the bench.</p>
<p>Udofia struggled with turnovers last year, but has been a much more proficient floor general now that he has guys who can finish.</p>
<p>If there's one area where the Yellowjackets appear significantly deficient, it's behind the 3-point arc. And now I've officially jinxed some unknown scrub into having a career day against us.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech didn't shoot well against Rice (38.9% FG, 16.7% 3FG), but out-rebounded the Owls 50-23 while holding them to 22.9% from the field.</p>
<p>Because our big men have played inconsistently at best, it'll be interesting to see whether Monty can afford to go small with our four-out, one-in lineup. It's often our most effective group, but the Yellowjackets might have too much size.</p>
<p><b>Keys to the Game:</b></p>
<p>1) Stay out of foul trouble.</p>
<p>With Kreklow out due to a re-injured foot, Monty really only has a seven man rotation that he can trust. Solomon and Kravish absolutely need to be disciplined on D and stay down instead of jumping for shot fakes. If we have to play Bak or Behrens for any extended amount of time, it's over. The Georgia Tech bigs will eat them alive. We'll have to hope that our guys still have their legs after last night's nail-biter. While we had to ride our starters for big minutes, Georgia Tech goes 10 deep.</p>
<p>2) Box out.</p>
<p>Georgia Tech isn't a great shooting team and they're much more proficient on defense than on offense. But, they have four different big men who can all score inside and like to crash the boards. We can't afford to give up easy baskets and additional possessions all night long. Allen Crabbe is going to need to really exert himself on the defensive glass.</p>
<p>3) Exploit match-ups.</p>
<p>If we're going to give up size on one end, we need to make them pay on the other. We already know that we'll need Cobbs and Crabbe to stay hot from the outside. But we're going to need to find other ways to get points against a tough defense. Whether it's transition buckets, or Smitty/Wallace stepping up, someone needs to provide that 3rd scoring option.</p>
<p><b>Summary:</b></p>
<p>It doesn't really matter that the Yellowjackets were picked to finish near the bottom of their league. On paper, they look like a tough opponent whose strengths conveniently seem to poised to take advantage of our weaknesses. In some ways, it almost looks like a reprise of last year's game against South Florida. This would be a great time for our bigs to snap out of their early season funk and play to their potential. In Monty we trust?<br>Go Bears!</p>
https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/23/3682540/cal-mens-basketball-vs-the-georgia-tech-yellowjackets-previewKodiak2012-11-23T03:00:43-08:002012-11-23T03:00:43-08:00Cal Men's Basketball Defeats Drake, 73-70
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YYYlLGhfLJ0-y3-Dl8jDoPdGZh4=/0x0:570x380/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/3759133/133954399.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jamie Squire</figcaption>
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<p>It was supposed to have been an early round romp through a sleepy tryptophan-fueled haze. But apparently, no one gave the Drake Bulldogs a copy of the script.</p> <p> </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1">From the opening tip to the final buzzer, Drake refused to go away. Although conventional wisdom often calls for teams from lesser leagues to slow the tempo or play a quirky system, the Bulldogs hung their hat on a hard-nosed man-to-defense and pushed the pace whenever they could. It didn't help things that team energizer and new-fan-favorite Ricky Kreklow re-injured his foot during warm-ups and wasn't able to go.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Even so, Cal ran out to an early 19-9 lead buoyed by some nifty footwork by Richard Solomon and clever ball movement inside to Richard Thurman.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">But the Bulldogs got hot from the perimeter while the Bears struggled to put up good shots. In particular, Allen Crabbe had trouble getting free for any decent looks and ended up sitting with foul trouble. Cobbs wasn't able to pick up the slack and the Bears left points on the board at the free throw line. The lead dwindled to 24-23 at the 5 minute mark.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Monty was forced to go to his bench and put in Bak Bak. Moments later, Drake exploited the inside match-up to tie things up 24-all. Cal battled back using a couple of Smith free throws and a nice transition drive by Wallace to regain the lead, 27-24.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Thurman made a nice lefty hook, and Cobbs got himself to the free throw line, but Drake responded to every Cal score with jumpshots of their own. It was all timed up, 33 a piece, at the half.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">With Cobbs and Crabbe struggling, it was left to Wallace and…Thurman to carry the scoring load. On the other hand, Drake kept moving the ball and making shots. Previous hints of inconsistent Cal defense were exposed with alarming regularity. With every made bucket, you could see Drake's confidence growing. This is exactly the script which reads, "Upset City."</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Oddly enough, all these fireworks occurred with each team's leading scorer, Crabbe and Simons, struggling from the field.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The 2nd half started as an extension of the first. The teams continued to exchange blows. Solo showed off a newfound touch on offensive while Crabbe got going with a couple of deep jumpers. The lead slowly crept to 44-40. But empty possessions and a double technical on Solomon for griping at a no-call and Monty for backing him up gave Drake the lead back to 47-44 with 15 to play.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Kravish stopped the bleeding with a pair of free throws, but Drake nailed a three and quickly got themselves into the bonus. It was 52-46 Drake at the 13 minute mark. And all the momentum was decidedly not blue and gold.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">But then Cobbs hit a jumper, Wallace followed with a nifty runner in the lane, and then Cobbs hit a pull-up in the lane. The Bears' offensive flurry was met by a Drake 3 and an a baseline runner.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">And then the flood gates opened. Drake got hot and started hitting both inside and out. They extended the lead to 64-55 and it began to look like there would be dessert for our Thanksgiving meal.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">But Cobbs was having none of that. He hit two free throws, found Solo for a layup, and then found Crabbe for a triple. It was a 66-62 game with five to play.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">After a key stop, Cobbs put his foot on the accelerator and got himself to the foul line in transition. It was 66-64 as part of a 9-2 run. Moments later, Solo cleared the glass, got it ahead to Smitty, and it was AND-ONE to regain the lead at 67-66.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">A Crabbe driving layup pushed the lead to three with 3:27 to play. After all the free flowing offense early in the game, the final minutes were played out as a defensive struggle. An exchange of ugly possessions resulted in Drake tying things up, 69-all.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">When Crabbe got called for an offensive foul with just a minute and a half to play, it didn't look good. It looked worse when Kravish fouled a Bulldog drive and put Drake on the line. At 70-69 with a minute to play, Cal fans everywhere were wondering who would step up.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">Cobbs quieted any doubters with a cool pull-up jumper to regain the lead. The Bears played tough defense to force a miss on a contested three. Then Drake made a critical mistake by fouling Cobbs off a pick and roll. A split on the free throws made it 73-70, Cal. Although the refs tried to make it interesting by putting the Bulldogs on the line. The ball didn't lie and this was the final score. Whew.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">It was a surprisingly tough game for the first round on Turkey Day.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The Good: Cal found a way to win. Although Drake kept making shots, the Bears were the ones that made the key plays down the stretch. Solo showed off some offensive moves that we haven't seen all year. Cobbs and Crabbe bounced back from sluggish starts. Wallace and Thurman were solid all game long. In particular, Wallace had a really nice game and was rewarded with extended minutes with the starters.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The Bad: Cal had to find a way to win. When our two main scorers were struggling, we didn't have a lot of answers. Solo was in foul trouble all game long and Kravish wasn't able to exert himself against their front court.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">The Ugly: We had to play our starters big minutes and exert a lot of energy to pull this one out. Kreklow's injury could be a huge blow to this Cal team. As feared, our perimeter defense just isn't the same without Jorge.</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">At this point, a win is a win and that extra piece of pumpkin pie is calling. It's a late tip against Georgia Tech tomorrow. (9pm PST)</p>
<p class="p1">Go Bears!</p>
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https://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/11/23/3681490/cal-mens-basketball-defeats-drake-73-70Kodiak