Hate to put it on a couple of guys, but Celestine and Newell are really the keys to unlocking our full potential. They have to transition from being spot-up shooters to fliers that can get to the rim. The Stanfurd game was a glimpse of what they could do for the team when they play well.. Newell has had a different disposition the last couple of games and Celestine has been trying, but was having trouble finishing. Hopefully, this helped Celestine's confidence and there is more to come....and that he can still play well in the shadow of Tyson.
I think it's more than just them. Gus Larson and Rodney Brown Jr. are going to be essential over the rest of the year. We need a bench, and specifically Larson to pick up the slack as an extra big with Okafor out.
As Coach Madsen has intimated, we can be average against talented opponents. In our court, we should be close to perfect if we want to beat elite or better teams.
Regardless of the fact that getting into some kind of post season action is still a longshot, it is safe to say the season has already been a success. The energy of old has returned. But a new vibe was also present. Haas doesn’t bounce like Harmon used to but it’s important to create new traditions. Favorite moments in no particular order: shooting flames, the wave, the massive banner over courtside student section, DJ bringing fresh sounds, the Straw hat band
Bringing their A game, and Keonte quieting the crowd when the crowd thought that a rousing Stanford sucks was appropriate as we were about to shoot some free throws.
What a lovely piece to read this morning, and I feel so kindred with you. Well said and Go Bears! Let's seriously hope that far better days are in front of us. At the very least, Cal basketball is once again required watching.
Great things are in store for this program…my Cal hoops season tix lasted from Braun’s second season in ‘97 to the ‘05/‘06 campaign, when Haas was routinely rocking. Let’s get back to that…we’re on our way.
This one and the WSU game were the antithesis of the outcomes in Capistrano, where I saw the Bears blow a late lead to Tulane and then they nearly upset SDSU in overtime. Glad to see the flip side of all that.
Don’t forget UTEP. This season really felt like it was very close to going off the rails after that trip. But the team stuck together, one heartbreaker after another. And despite having perhaps unreasonably high hopes and having some of those goals dashed quite early on. But you can tell this team feels like it has a chance to do something special still with the rest of the season.
All we need to do is win the Pac-12 tourney. Which is oddly achievable, as long as we can rely on Arizona losing to another random team. Which it seems like we can.
Yeah, the analytical part of my brain says that this current team would have won another 3-4 games from earlier in the season when they weren't healthy and hadn't gelled yet, but another irrational part of my brain is happy that we're winning the close games now against Stanford and Colorado and Wazzu and we didn't waste our close game luck against UTEP.
I haven't been able to really follow the games because they seem to never be on tv, but it looks like this team has been unlucky. They're 1-5 in games decided by 1-3 points and 1-2 in overtime, which was 0-5 and 0-2 before the Wazzu game.
On KenPom's luck index (which really doesn't measure *luck* but is the deviation between our expected record based on metrics vs. our actual record. For a long stretch of the season we've been below 250 (out of 264 NCAA teams)
Great article and it is DEFINITELY more fun to watch Cal Basketball. However, we have another big test coming up against the Arizona schools and then against FUCLA (which has been playing better) and U$C. Can Mad Dog get us to .500 and a possible NIT invitation? If that happens then he is Pac-12 coach of the year.
The NIT will be tough sledding because we would either need to go 7-4 to close conference play and then win two games in the Pac-12 tournament, OR go 8-3 to close out conference play, and either of those marks is really tough to hit because we have the three single toughest games in Pac-12 play left on the schedule - at Arizona, at Colorado, and at Utah left on the schedule. But here's to dreaming!
Doesn't the NCAA selection committee look to see how teams finish their season to determine who gets into the tournament. How much of a run at the end of the season is needed, includng Pac 12 tournament games.
We got this. 2-of-3 from those bullies, and a couple of surprises in the tourney., In the early season, we were still getting to know each other an how to play as a team (check), then we had to learn how to hang on to get the W in close games (check), now we can start to surprise the arrogants.
There is no doubt we were all happy with the outcome, but if we had hit half of our 10 missed free throws, it would have saved all of us heart patients the trauma.
Cal was only 1 FT short of their season average, which is pretty close to the national average - the main frustration is that Stanford was darn near perfect!
I was planning on going – would be first game of the year, even tho season-ticket holder since '87(?) – but friend got sick. and recruiting a last-minute replacement isn't that easy!
I see that UCLA is a mid-pm game. Maybe I can bring my daughter to it...
Your vivid descriptions made that game come stressfully alive again ending in such a euphoric finish ! If this trajectory continues, maybe what is happening at Cal combining 8 new players blending together more and more each game with a only a first year coaching staff will turn out to be one of the greatest sports stories of the year!
This was my first game since probably 2021. Night and day between the atmosphere. Makes me want to buy season tickets next year.
Agreed.
Hate to put it on a couple of guys, but Celestine and Newell are really the keys to unlocking our full potential. They have to transition from being spot-up shooters to fliers that can get to the rim. The Stanfurd game was a glimpse of what they could do for the team when they play well.. Newell has had a different disposition the last couple of games and Celestine has been trying, but was having trouble finishing. Hopefully, this helped Celestine's confidence and there is more to come....and that he can still play well in the shadow of Tyson.
I think it's more than just them. Gus Larson and Rodney Brown Jr. are going to be essential over the rest of the year. We need a bench, and specifically Larson to pick up the slack as an extra big with Okafor out.
Should have stormed the court but with the changes to the baseline seats that’s much harder to do than before
As Coach Madsen has intimated, we can be average against talented opponents. In our court, we should be close to perfect if we want to beat elite or better teams.
We can't really be average against mediocre opponents either, as Pacific, Montana St, Tulane UTEP, and even St. Thomas to some degree, have taught us.
We weren't average against those teams. We were bad.
Regardless of the fact that getting into some kind of post season action is still a longshot, it is safe to say the season has already been a success. The energy of old has returned. But a new vibe was also present. Haas doesn’t bounce like Harmon used to but it’s important to create new traditions. Favorite moments in no particular order: shooting flames, the wave, the massive banner over courtside student section, DJ bringing fresh sounds, the Straw hat band
Bringing their A game, and Keonte quieting the crowd when the crowd thought that a rousing Stanford sucks was appropriate as we were about to shoot some free throws.
This is Bear Territory once again.
Nothing bounces like Harmon. That gym had a 2.5 WAR.
it's these types of articles that keep me paying for the membership. You Da' Man, Nick.
What a lovely piece to read this morning, and I feel so kindred with you. Well said and Go Bears! Let's seriously hope that far better days are in front of us. At the very least, Cal basketball is once again required watching.
Nice work Nick.
Great things are in store for this program…my Cal hoops season tix lasted from Braun’s second season in ‘97 to the ‘05/‘06 campaign, when Haas was routinely rocking. Let’s get back to that…we’re on our way.
This one and the WSU game were the antithesis of the outcomes in Capistrano, where I saw the Bears blow a late lead to Tulane and then they nearly upset SDSU in overtime. Glad to see the flip side of all that.
Don’t forget UTEP. This season really felt like it was very close to going off the rails after that trip. But the team stuck together, one heartbreaker after another. And despite having perhaps unreasonably high hopes and having some of those goals dashed quite early on. But you can tell this team feels like it has a chance to do something special still with the rest of the season.
All we need to do is win the Pac-12 tourney. Which is oddly achievable, as long as we can rely on Arizona losing to another random team. Which it seems like we can.
It's as wide open as it's ever been. Get hot when it matters.
I'm sure nobody in the Pac wants to play us. Plucky team starting to gel with a shitty RPI.
Also the conference just sucks at basketball this year. So everyone should be scared of everyone.
Yeah, the analytical part of my brain says that this current team would have won another 3-4 games from earlier in the season when they weren't healthy and hadn't gelled yet, but another irrational part of my brain is happy that we're winning the close games now against Stanford and Colorado and Wazzu and we didn't waste our close game luck against UTEP.
I haven't been able to really follow the games because they seem to never be on tv, but it looks like this team has been unlucky. They're 1-5 in games decided by 1-3 points and 1-2 in overtime, which was 0-5 and 0-2 before the Wazzu game.
On KenPom's luck index (which really doesn't measure *luck* but is the deviation between our expected record based on metrics vs. our actual record. For a long stretch of the season we've been below 250 (out of 264 NCAA teams)
Great article and it is DEFINITELY more fun to watch Cal Basketball. However, we have another big test coming up against the Arizona schools and then against FUCLA (which has been playing better) and U$C. Can Mad Dog get us to .500 and a possible NIT invitation? If that happens then he is Pac-12 coach of the year.
The NIT will be tough sledding because we would either need to go 7-4 to close conference play and then win two games in the Pac-12 tournament, OR go 8-3 to close out conference play, and either of those marks is really tough to hit because we have the three single toughest games in Pac-12 play left on the schedule - at Arizona, at Colorado, and at Utah left on the schedule. But here's to dreaming!
Gobears49
Doesn't the NCAA selection committee look to see how teams finish their season to determine who gets into the tournament. How much of a run at the end of the season is needed, includng Pac 12 tournament games.
We got this. 2-of-3 from those bullies, and a couple of surprises in the tourney., In the early season, we were still getting to know each other an how to play as a team (check), then we had to learn how to hang on to get the W in close games (check), now we can start to surprise the arrogants.
A great review! I listened to the game In L.A. and one could feel the energy coming through the speakers!!!!
There is no doubt we were all happy with the outcome, but if we had hit half of our 10 missed free throws, it would have saved all of us heart patients the trauma.
Cal was only 1 FT short of their season average, which is pretty close to the national average - the main frustration is that Stanford was darn near perfect!
No (trauma) pain, no gain!
I was planning on going – would be first game of the year, even tho season-ticket holder since '87(?) – but friend got sick. and recruiting a last-minute replacement isn't that easy!
I see that UCLA is a mid-pm game. Maybe I can bring my daughter to it...
Another GREAT write up !
Your vivid descriptions made that game come stressfully alive again ending in such a euphoric finish ! If this trajectory continues, maybe what is happening at Cal combining 8 new players blending together more and more each game with a only a first year coaching staff will turn out to be one of the greatest sports stories of the year!
I’m hoping for great heights still to come.
Nice job, Nick. Well written.
And then some!