California Golden Bears Basketball 2016-17 Offseason Checklist

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The Returning Players

The Bears are more likely than not losing Rabb and Brown. But the team still has some exciting returning players who can add experience and be the core of this Cal team.

The only senior playing meaningful minutes last season was Wallace. So the team did not lose any more quality players to graduation.

Among the returning players are a few potential starters: Sam Singer (19.9 minutes per game), Jabari Bird (26.8 minutes per game), Jordan Matthews (29.7 minutes per game), Kameron Rooks (17.2 minutes per game).

Other returning players who might see an uptick in minutes include: Roman Davis (redshirt), Stephen Domingo (10.6 minutes per game), Roger Moute a Bidas (8.6 minutes per game) and Kingsley Okoroh (10.8 minutes per game).

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Singer was stuck behind Wallace last year but with an open spot at point guard, there is a case to be made that it belongs to Singer. While he doesn’t make a name for himself on the stat sheet: (3.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.6 APG), Singer does a great job facilitating the ball and playing great defense.

Singer filled in for Wallace in a game against Arizona State, and guarded Tra Holder. Holder averages 16.2 points per game but Singer limited him to nine on 2-11 shooting. After the game coach Martin said, “A lot of credit to (Sam) Singer for facilitating the offense, and an exceptional job of guarding Tra Holder“.

While Singer’s starting role may be up for debate, two players who definitely have a spot in the starting rotation are Bird and Matthews.

Bird averaged 10.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG and shot .409% from three. Bird should be one of the senior leaders on this Cal team. Assuming he stays healthy, e should see some of the highest minutes on the squad and as a result, should see his points per game and assists per game go up as well.

Matthews, another senior leader this year, averaged 13.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.3 APG. He shot .416% from three point range. Matthews could end up being the team’s best player this year if he continues his improvement. His minutes could increase from the 29.7 per game he logged last year.

Bird and Matthews should form a great senior tandem that will keep this team relevant. Villanova won the championship starting seniors Ryan Arcidiacno and Daniel Ochefu, so the seniors should be greatly beneficial if Cal makes the tourney.

Rooks redshirted his first year in college in 2014-15. He showed general improvement in 2015-16, averaging 3.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG and shot .573% from the field which would’ve put him in the top 100 had he qualified. Rooks saw 22 minutes in the Hawaii game, scoring eight points to go along with his six rebounds.

Davis redshirted his first season at Cal but he is a 6’7″ small forward who averaged 9.7 points and 8.1 rebounds. He could be one of the first people off the bench assuming he stays healthy.

Domingo transferred from Georgetown to Cal in 2014-15. In 2015-16 he only saw about 11 minutes a game and averaged less than two points. He will be a senior this year so there’s a chance he sees an uptick in value. He was also a four star prospect coming out of high school.

Bidas is in the same boat as Domingo in that he is also an incoming senior and shot .455% from three point range last year. But his senior status may allow him to get in the rotation.

Okoroh is a 7’1″ junior. He saw 14 minutes against Hawaii and could see a rise in minutes and likely, his stats due to his size. He also shoots .606% from the floor which would place him in the top 100 if he’d qualified. Okoroh’s size can get him in the rotation.

Most fans look for incoming freshman and new players added to the roster for rays of hope, but some of the most exciting players on the 2016-17 Cal Bears are already on the team.

Next: New Recruits

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