A grim 2022 gets worse for Cal men’s basketball. After injuring his ankle against USC, Andre Kelly’s season (and potentially career at Cal) appears to be over.
This is very bad news for Cal. Kelly is Cal’s best shooter, scorer, their only above-average efficient offensive player, and their best rebounder. There is no immediate replacement anywhere on the roster that can offset that loss.
The Bears are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak and haven’t won in a month. Although Cal showed heart in battling against a superior USC squad and nearly upsetting Stanford on the road, everything seemed to fall apart yesterday against Washington.
And without Kelly, it’s unlikely that Cal will be favored to win any of their remaining games. Cal is in real danger of losing out, which would put head coach Mark Fox under more fire as he closes in on his third losing season in a row with the Bears.
Here is the official statement from Cal Athletics:
California men’s basketball senior forward Andre Kelly is expected to miss the remainder of the 2021-22 season after suffering an ankle injury against USC on Jan. 29.
“It was a heartbreaking meeting when I informed Andre of the MRI results of his injured ankle,” Cal head coach Mark Fox said. “After meeting with multiple doctors, Andre is expected to make a full recovery. Sadly, that will most likely not occur before the end of our season. I am so disappointed for him as he was having such an outstanding season. His presence on the court is obviously missed. But not being able to play your final games is so hard for a young man who loves to compete. We will give him time to heal and decompress before having any conversations about his future plans.”
A 6-9 senior from Stockton, California, Kelly was averaging 13.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game through 21 games played this season. The big man currently leads the Pac-12 and ranks 12th nationally in field-goal percentage (60.7%) and is fourth all-time at Cal with a career field-goal percentage of 57.6% (403-702). His seven double-doubles this season rank second in the conference. Kelly had played in every game of his college career prior to the injury – a streak of 113 consecutive games dating back to the start of his freshman season in 2018-19.
Won't be the least bit shocked if we don't win another game
So sorry for Andre. He's a true Bear and if he has played his last game, he will still be remembered for being a stellar player and student. His loss does not excuse the overall poor record and performance of the team. Fox either brings in a top 5 Pac 12 class, or he should be gone.