California Golden Bears Triumph Over Stanford Cardinal
In a thrilling matchup in Berkeley, California, the California Golden Bears emerged victorious over their arch-rivals, the Stanford Cardinal, with a final score of 72-66 on Saturday. Leading the charge for Cal was Chris Bell, who showcased his impressive skills by scoring 20 points, shooting 5-of-11 from the field, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Bell also contributed significantly defensively, grabbing seven rebounds and stealing the ball twice.
Significance of the Win
The win marks a notable achievement for the Golden Bears, who secured a regular-season sweep against Stanford for the first time since the 2009-10 season. Under the direction of head coach Mark Madsen, a Stanford alumnus, Cal has rebounded from a tough previous stretch where they lost five consecutive games to their rivals. Alongside Bell, John Camden added 18 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while Dai Dai Ames also made his mark with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Stanford’s Efforts
On the other side of the court, the Cardinal fought valiantly, led by freshman Ebuka Okorie, who had a standout performance with 17 points and 13 rebounds, marking both his first double-double and a personal best on the boards, after previously never exceeding seven rebounds in a game. Okorie has been a key player for Stanford, boasting an impressive scoring average of 22.5 points per game, ranking sixth nationally.
Aidan Cammann contributed significantly for Stanford as well, scoring 19 points, though he struggled from the charity stripe with 11 makes on 19 attempts. Benny Gealer also had a solid outing with 15 points, while AJ Rohosy rounded out the Cardinal scoring with 10 points, six rebounds, and multiple defensive stops.
Game Highlights
As the game reached its closing minutes, Stanford made a desperate push, orchestrating a 7-0 run fueled by a turnover from Justin Pippen and fouls from Ames, creating opportunities for Gealer at the line. A late layup from Cammann narrowed the score to 71-66, but free throws from Camden and missed opportunities from Gealer and Okorie sealed Stanford’s fate.
The Golden Bears dominated the first half, heading into halftime with a 39-25 lead, thanks to a pivotal 12-1 run led by Bell.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Stanford will be preparing to take on Pittsburgh on Wednesday, while Cal is set to face SMU on the same day.
