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Cal Women's Basketball

Cal Women's Basketball Grad Transfer Karisma Ortiz to Miss 2021-22 Season

October 27, 2021
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BERKELEY – Cal women's basketball guard Karisma Ortiz will miss the 2021-22 season after suffering a left knee injury earlier this month.

"My heart hurts for Karisma," said head coach Charmin Smith. "I could just see her confidence growing and we had high expectations for her in this upcoming season. I know Karisma's teammates will be there for her and support her through this challenging time. Also, as a group, we will stay resilient and locked in on our goals for this year."

The San Jose native returned home to the Bay Area after playing one season with for Texas last year. Ortiz appeared in 27 games with 15 starts last season for the Longhorns. Overall, she posted a 33.3 field goal percentage, drained 19 3-pointers and posted 45 assists (1.66 per game). She scored a career-high 15 points against Idaho on Dec. 9 and had three games with double-digit point totals.
 
Ortiz finished her prep career at Archbishop Mitty High School ranked as the No. 54 overall prospect by espnW, and the 14th-ranked player at her position. She was also a member of the Monarch's 1,000-point, 500-rebound and 500-assist club. Ortiz led her team to a No. 1 USA Today national ranking by the end of her senior season after her squad claimed both the Western Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section championships in 2018. She averaged 15 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists that year, meriting a second-team all-state selection.

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Cal Women's Basketball Grad Transfer Karisma Ortiz to Miss 2021-22 Season

3,854 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by stu
blungld
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2:33p, 10/27/21
Man, this team is snake bit. Guards injured for season like 4 or 5 years in a row now.

"The Bear will not quilt, the Bear will not dye!"
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Schroeder71
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3:08p, 10/27/21
Cal guards blowout their knees routinely. It's a good thing that the Bears had 8 guards (now 7 available) for three spots. Karisma Ortiz was the one true PG that looked for the pass first. She had 45 assists vs 22 turnovers for Texas last season. The former Archbishop Mitty PG averaged only 3.6 ppg at both Penn State and Texas. She did hit 19 treys at Texas, however. The three point shooting was a major need for this team to improve in 2021-2022.

GO BEARS!
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SFCALBear72
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4:27p, 10/27/21
We will be fine.

Jazlen Green, Cailyn Crocker and Alma Elsnitz are returning. Mia Mastrov got valuable experience last season. An improved Ornela Muca and reliable Sierra Richey will add depth. And State Player of the Year, Jayda Curry, will backup and play alongside Leilani McIntosh.

Looking forward to tomorrow night's exhibition game.
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smh
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In reply to SFCALBear72 • 5:32p, 10/27/21
SFCALBear72 said:
Looking forward to tomorrow night's exhibition game.
^congrats. best we'll manage is the raw live stream..
https://pac-12.com/live/university-california
https://calbears.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule/2021-22
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Ashfield63
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7:43p, 10/27/21
Feel so badly for Karisma.......Hope she has a full recovery with time......

It will be great to see the players in person. I will be there....GO BEARS!
GGV
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HoopDreams
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8:27p, 10/27/21
there has been two years where cal had absolutely zero depth at PG

both times, our starting PG were freshmen and saved us as they were both solid as rookies

the first time we had no walkons, so the two guards had to play basically the entire game

the last time, we had one walkon, and later in the year a second walkon player back from injury, and then at the very end of the season another freshmen guard

with 3 guards returning this season from injury I hope they are close to 100%, but not sure

this was going to be the year where we would actually have depth at guard, and hopeful there will be no more injuries (we have only one walkon guard this season)

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calbear80
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8:53p, 10/27/21
This is Coach Smith's third year as a Head Coach.

The first two Years have been horrible. There has been excuses after excuses. No more excuses.

So, this year, it is a minimum .500 in the conference games or bust.

Go Bears!
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Ashfield63
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10:20p, 10/27/21
The team is very young. No one has played more then two years. Karisma has only played two years, and unfortunately, she has sustained a season ending injury. Cal could have cancelled the season last year due to Covid. Despite the hardships, they played. Three key guards could not play because of injuries. Sela Heide spent five months at home home because of an injury. She returned to campus in June. It was baptismal by fire for the freshman last season. The BEARS do have a senior walkon. I will not beat up on Charmin. She is trying to re-build a program.The Pac-12 is so tough! Going to the game tomorrow night. Looking forward to watching this team in action! GO BEARS!!!
GGV
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calbear80
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3:57a, 10/28/21
Bottom Line:
. First Year: 3-15 in Pac-12
. Second Year: 1-12 in Pac-12
. Total: 4-27 (13% winning percentage)

Not Good. What are going to be the excuses this year?

.500 in Pac-12 this year or bust.

Go Bears!

P.S. Sorry, the excuse that Pac-12 is tough doesn't work after you have lost to Bakersfield State and San Jose State.
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ClayK
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7:21a, 10/28/21
It was hard to say how effective Ortiz would have been, but she certainly would have contributed, and perhaps contributed significantly. It's sad for her, of course, and it also hurts a team that has little margin for error.

Still, as long as no other guards go down, improved backcourt play should help Cal upgrade, though the Pac-12 is the toughest conference in the country.
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HoopDreams
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In reply to calbear80 • 1:28p, 10/28/21
calbear80 said:
Bottom Line:
. First Year: 3-15 in Pac-12
. Second Year: 1-12 in Pac-12
. Total: 4-27 (13% winning percentage)

Not Good. What are going to be the excuses this year?

.500 in Pac-12 this year or bust.

Go Bears!

P.S. Sorry, the excuse that Pac-12 is tough doesn't work after you have lost to Bakersfield State and San Jose State.
I think it's reasonable to critisize the 1st year results, as they had two seniors on that team, including a legit star

but last season was not a coaching problem, unless you consider it a recruiting problem, because it was a bunch of freshmen and only 2 guards (a soph and freshmen) and a walkon (until late in the season)

if you consider it a recruiting problem, I say her first recruiting class was one of the highest rated classes in a long time, although she did lose a key player to transfer
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UrsineMaximus
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In reply to calbear80 • 1:30p, 10/28/21
calbear80 said:
Bottom Line:
. First Year: 3-15 in Pac-12
. Second Year: 1-12 in Pac-12
. Total: 4-27 (13% winning percentage)

Not Good. What are going to be the excuses this year?

.500 in Pac-12 this year or bust.

Go Bears!

P.S. Sorry, the excuse that Pac-12 is tough doesn't work after you have lost to Bakersfield State and San Jose State.
Smith is refreshing, she doesn't look for or accept excuses. It is a fact that COVID and injuries affected her team but she marched them into the arena to battle each and every night. And battle they did. Yes, she has a tough coaching job this year as all coaches do. She won't back down or make excuses, she knows what she is paid to do. I support all her work, both on and off the court!

Go Bears!!
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annarborbear
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3:50p, 10/28/21
I was looking forward to seeing what Ortiz has to offer. But I think that Bush will end up being the more important addition. Her tapes from Harvard show a player who seems to make everyone else around her better (high basketball IQ, as well as Harvard-level academic IQ), and who both scores and rebounds. Not a star, but someone who I think will help us play better as a team.
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puget sound cal fan
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In reply to annarborbear • 4:39p, 10/28/21
Bush certainly does represent promise for the Bears, but I was looking forward to the experience Ortiz would bring to the team.
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annarborbear
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In reply to SFCALBear72 • 5:37p, 10/28/21
SFCALBear72 said:
We will be fine.

Jazlen Green, Cailyn Crocker and Alma Elsnitz are returning. Mia Mastrov got valuable experience last season. An improved Ornela Muca and reliable Sierra Richey will add depth. And State Player of the Year, Jayda Curry, will backup and play alongside Leilani McIntosh.

Looking forward to tomorrow night's exhibition game.
I think we will do well this year. But if Muca and Richey are seeing considerable time on the court, I might have to retract that forecast.
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stu
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In reply to Schroeder71 • 10:02p, 10/28/21
Tonight Leilani had 7 of the team's 13 assists, 2 steals, only 1 turnover, and drew a couple of charges. What more can you ask of a PG?
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