Cal Duo Returning To Berkeley For 2021-22 Season
BERKELEY – California seniors Grant Anticevich and Makale Foreman announced Wednesday that they will be back in the Blue & Gold as fifth-year seniors for the 2021-22 season.
Graduate transfer Ryan Betley remains undecided on his return. He will be honored in front of fans next season, if he chooses to forego his remaining eligibility. As a result of the decisions, Cal will not conduct a Senior Day ceremony ahead of its regular-season finale on Saturday.
The NCAA's Division I Council voted last October to extend the eligibility of winter-sport student-athletes who compete during the 2020-21 season, allowing them the opportunity to play five seasons within a six-year span rather than the typical four seasons in five years. The vote enables Anticevich, Foreman and Betley – if he chooses – to return to Berkeley next season.
Anticevich, a native of Sydney, Australia, has played a key role in head coach Mark Fox's system since the start of the 2019-20 season. After making strides as a junior last season, Anticevich is averaging career highs in points per game (9.2) and field-goal percentage (41.0) during the 2020-21 season despite missing time due to an appendectomy in December. Anticevich has averaged 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds across 103 career games played.
"I'm extremely grateful and excited to have the opportunity to play under Coach Fox for another year, and can't wait to improve individually and contribute to the success of this program, one of which I'm honored to be a part of," Anticevich said.
Foreman is in his first season with the Bears, having joined the program as a graduate transfer following two years at Chattanooga (2016-18) and one season at Stony Brook (2019-20). With Cal, Foreman is averaging 8.2 points per game and has made 43 total 3-pointers. The Kingsport, Tenn., native has made 249 3-pointers in 119 career games.
"I have decided to come back to Cal so that I can finish my master's degree and also to have another year of developing and improving my game," Foreman said. "By returning, I feel like I can have an impact on winning and building this program back to where it needs to be."
“For both of those guys, it’s been a difficult year,” head coach Mark Fox said in a Zoom call with the media. “With no offseason no film room, all those restrictions this year. It will be interesting to see how Makale can develop. When he has an offseason and we can sit in an office and study film and do the things you normally do.
“And Grant with the appendectomy and the amount of time that he missed and just the fight to recover and get to the level he was at before. I am thankful that he gets the chance to have another year. They are both great kids and deserve to have a great experience.”
Fox said the Bears will be allowed more scholarships next season to accommodate the returning players.
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