California Triumphs Over Georgia Tech
In a thrilling encounter on Wednesday, California overcame a challenging stretch to defeat Georgia Tech with a final score of 90-85 in Berkeley. Leading the charge for the Golden Bears was Dai Dai Ames, who turned in a remarkable performance, recording a personal best of 29 points on an impressive 9-for-13 shooting accuracy.
Game Highlights
California’s victory came despite a tumultuous second half where they nearly squandered a comfortable lead; they had been ahead by as much as 15 points after Ames netted a 3-pointer just 42 seconds into the second period. The Bears went into halftime with a solid 43-29 advantage, but Georgia Tech mounted a spirited comeback, fueled in part by Akai Fleming‘s strong showing.
Fleming, who was pivotal for the Yellow Jackets with 19 points—15 of which came in the second half—sparked an explosive run that saw Georgia Tech take their first lead of the match.
Meanwhile, teammates Chas Kelley III and Jaeden Mustaf each added 15 and 14 points, respectively, while Kam Craft contributed another 14 points. Notably, Baye Ndongo finished with a well-rounded effort of 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, although he did suffer an unfortunate non-contact injury as he fouled out late in the game with just 43 seconds remaining.
Balanced Scoring Efforts
California’s balanced scoring effort also featured contributions from John Camden, who scored 15 points, Chris Bell with 14, and Justin Pippen, who nearly posted a triple-double with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Milos Ilic aided greatly off the bench, adding 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Closing Moments
As the game progressed, Georgia Tech managed to narrow the gap to just three points with a flurry of offense led by Fleming, who scored eight consecutive points, including two 3-pointers, bringing the score to 80-77 with a minute remaining. In response, the Bears maintained their composure, going 10 for 12 from the free-throw line in the closing moments to ultimately secure the victory.
Looking Ahead
Following this game, Georgia Tech has now faced three consecutive losses and six defeats in their last seven outings. They will look to regroup when they travel to play Stanford on Saturday. Meanwhile, California will host Clemson on the same day as they aim to build on this win and improve their ACC record to 6-5.
