Cal Bears Basketball: 2016-2017 Season Primer

The Cal Bears 2016-2017 basketball season opens on Friday, and though the team looks very different from last year there are still high expectations.

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The Bears lost a lot of star power this past offseason. Tyrone Wallace, Cal’s point guard and leading scorer the past two seasons, graduated and was the final pick in the NBA Draft. Jaylen Brown declared after being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, and was the third overall pick. That leaves Ivan Rabb, entering his sophomore season, as the go-to guy.

The 19-year-old big man enjoyed a nice year as a freshman. He averaged 12.5 points while showing a highly-advanced feel for the paint for a man so young. He broke Cal’s freshman rebounding record by pulling down 291 total boards, and averaged over a block per contest. He finished second in the Pac-12 with a 61.5 field goal percentage.

This year, the hype has continued to grow for Rabb. He came to Cal as one of the most highly-sought after recruits, and is now considered one of the best in the country. He was named an AP Preseason All-American, the first Bear to receive the honor since Jason Kidd in 1993. He was ranked third on SB Nation’s list of top-100 college basketball players entering the season.

But no matter how good Rabb is, he will need help. The 6’10” sophomore is sure to be double-teamed plenty in the post, and the main beneficiary could be the team’s center, Kameron Rooks. Rooks only scored 3.6 points per game last season, but was a big defensive presence in the middle of the court. He grabbed just under five rebounds and blocked just under one shot per game in about 17 minutes.

Along with Wallace and Brown, the Bears also lost sharpshooter Jordan Mathews, who transferred to Gonzaga. Mathews averaged 13.6 points per game and shot 42.7 percent from deep over the past two seasons for Cal, and that production will be missed. Jabari Bird, back for his senior season, will be counted on to provide some of that same spark.

Bird has averaged over 10 points in both of the past two years, and shot a career-best 40.9 percent from beyond the arc last season. He has improved his long-range shooting every year at Cal, and another spike in shooting percentage would be extremely welcome. He showed his high-scoring potential late last season as he crossed the 20-point mark four times in the final 10 games, but he will need to be more consistent. He will need to avoid stretches like he had from late December to early January, when he averaged under five points and shot 28 percent from the field over a six-game stretch.

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In the absence of Wallace, senior Sam Singer is expected to take over starting point guard duties. Singer won’t provide the scoring that Wallace did, but he has great court vision and does a great job of moving the ball. He’s also a solid defender, which fits well under coach Cuonzo Martin.

There are some other solid options at guard. Graduate transfer Grant Mullins is aboard for his first season at Cal after three seasons with Columbia. Last season, he averaged 13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, and shot 43.9 percent from deep. Mullins can play the point or on the wing, and gives opponents a bit of a different look from Singer.

They also have four-star recruit Charlie Moore, who averaged 28 points and seven assists as a senior in high school. Moore looks to be the point guard of the future, so it seems he’ll have to wait his turn.

The Bears will also need to get something out of their role players. Kingsley Okoroh is another seven-footer, and is a big presence under the rim on the defensive side. Stephen Domingo is entering his senior year and second season at Cal, but struggled in shooting 32.1 percent last year. Roman Davis and Roger Moute a Bidias will also provide depth at forward.

Cal is projected to finish fourth in the Pac-12 after finishing third last season. They may not have the talent they did from last year, but this team does look poised to be competitive in the Pac-12 again.

Next: Jaylen Brown Impresses in NBA Debut

The journey begins tonight, when the Bears open their schedule in Haas Pavilion against South Dakota State.