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Cal Basketball

Cal To Host ‘Open Gym With Men’s Basketball’

September 26, 2024
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BERKELEY – California head coach Mark Madsen is offering fans an early look at his 2024-25 squad at “Open Gym with Cal Men’s Basketball” on Friday, Sept. 27.

The Golden Bears will play an intersquad scrimmage inside Haas Pavilion, with Madsen mic’d up throughout. No tickets are required for fans to attend, and doors – Entry 3 of Haas Pavilion – open at 6 p.m. PT with the event running from approximately 6:30-8:30 p.m. PT. Players and coaches will be available for a post-event autograph session.

Season tickets for the 2024-25 campaign can be purchased by visiting CalBears.com/Tickets, calling 800-GO-BEARS (462-3277) or emailing goldstandard@berkeley.edu. Fans can support the Bears through the Cal Men's Basketball Excellence Initiative or the California Legends Collective.

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Cal To Host ‘Open Gym With Men’s Basketball’

1,804 Views | 13 Replies | Last: 21 days ago by HoopDreams
oskidunker
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7:21a, 9/27/24
Will be there! Go Bears!
Go Bears!
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BearGreg
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7:51a, 9/27/24
Staff
I hope everyone can make it out and posts their thoughts on the team afterwards.

I'm sad to miss but crossing the bridges from the Peninsula on a Friday night is always a challenge
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oskidunker
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In reply to BearGreg • 7:55a, 9/27/24
BearGreg said:
I hope everyone can make it out and posts their thoughts on the team afterwards.

I'm sad to miss but crossing the bridges from the Peninsula on a Friday night is always a challenge


Leaving San Bruno around 3:30. Meeting a friend at Lavals. No good time to go unless you can leave before noon. No more movie theaters to hang out in. Berkeley or Albany, except Elmwood. Not looking forward to the drive.
Go Bears!
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BC Calfan
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9:47a, 9/27/24
I'll be there and will post my thoughts tomorrow. I'm equally excited about this event as much as a game.

Greg, any recruits visiting?
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udaman1
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7:19p, 9/27/24
My kid is there watching. Sent a few videos . Petraitis
Nice touch
"Best player on the floor is the 5'11" guard from GCU"
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udaman1
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In reply to udaman1 • 7:26p, 9/27/24
" nothing eye popping but i think the team is deeper than it was last year"
Now he's waching miami game on his phone at Haas. Doesn't sound like that exciting of an event.
" sissoko is good. Big dunk Shaq style"
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udaman1
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In reply to udaman1 • 7:48p, 9/27/24
"Blacksher Jr is legit. Playmaker. Couple of threes. Couple of mid range. Couple of lobs. And a floater."
" stojakovic had big dunk. Athletic"
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CNHTH
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10:59p, 9/27/24
I was impressed with Dort and Sisoko down low on defense.
They both pinned a few shots high on the backboard.
Dort is more polished offensively and has very good footwork.
As for the wings it is clear Stojakovich can stroke it but I wouldn't call him a standout defensively.
Ola-Joseph is very ball dominant and has a decent middy and is athletic to finish over guys.
Petreitus is a good spot up shooter and an excellent defender.
I know im high on Wilkinson as a scorer but I felt he was the best defender on the floor. He scored a few times on iso takes but didn't really take that many shots despite being on the floor 90 percent of the scrimmage. I think he shot long on 1 three.
As others mentioned Blacksher is clearly the 1 and has a good floor general mentality, can shoot it well and plays pesky d.

Overall, I'd say the depth is deep and the rotation will probably look like below.
1st team
1 Blacksher
2 Stojacovich
3 Ola-Joseph
4 Dort
5 Sissoko
2nd Team
1 Tucker
2 Wilkinson
3 Petraitus
4 Mahoney
5 Curtis

11 Campbell
12 Omot
13 Larsen / Mahoney

Despite the above I would fully expect to see the following rotations be the ones we see the most of

Blacksher
Stojacovich
Petraitus
Ola-Joseph
Dort

Or

Blacksher
Wilkinson
Stojacovich
Petraitus
Dort

Overall I'm happy.
We have 2 extremely active bigs on the defensive end.
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LOUMFSG2
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2:56p, 9/28/24
Thanks to all who provided feedback, great info.

I am particularly interested in BJ Omot. I believe he was our second highest rated transfer behind Stojakovic, and he averaged 35.2 minutes and 16.7 points per game last year at North Dakota, so I was expecting he would be one of our top players. His name was not mentioned much at all from those that were there. Was he there / healthy?
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Big C
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In reply to LOUMFSG2 • 3:47p, 9/28/24
LOUMFSG2 said:
Thanks to all who provided feedback, great info.

I am particularly interested in BJ Omot. I believe he was our second highest rated transfer behind Stojakovic, and he averaged 35.2 minutes and 16.7 points per game last year at North Dakota, so I was expecting he would be one of our top players. His name was not mentioned much at all from those that were there. Was he there / healthy?

He was on the Blue Team, in an un-numbered jersey. (95% sure that's who it was) He and Pavlovic (Gold Team) were the only scholarship players who didn't see action. Injuries, perhaps.
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concernedparent
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In reply to CNHTH • 11:17a, 9/30/24
CNHTH said:
I was impressed with Dort and Sisoko down low on defense.
They both pinned a few shots high on the backboard.
Dort is more polished offensively and has very good footwork.
As for the wings it is clear Stojakovich can stroke it but I wouldn't call him a standout defensively.
Ola-Joseph is very ball dominant and has a decent middy and is athletic to finish over guys.
Petreitus is a good spot up shooter and an excellent defender.
I know im high on Wilkinson as a scorer but I felt he was the best defender on the floor. He scored a few times on iso takes but didn't really take that many shots despite being on the floor 90 percent of the scrimmage. I think he shot long on 1 three.
As others mentioned Blacksher is clearly the 1 and has a good floor general mentality, can shoot it well and plays pesky d.

Overall, I'd say the depth is deep and the rotation will probably look like below.
1st team
1 Blacksher
2 Stojacovich
3 Ola-Joseph
4 Dort
5 Sissoko
2nd Team
1 Tucker
2 Wilkinson
3 Petraitus
4 Mahoney
5 Curtis

11 Campbell
12 Omot
13 Larsen / Mahoney

Despite the above I would fully expect to see the following rotations be the ones we see the most of

Blacksher
Stojacovich
Petraitus
Ola-Joseph
Dort

Or

Blacksher
Wilkinson
Stojacovich
Petraitus
Dort

Overall I'm happy.
We have 2 extremely active bigs on the defensive end.
No chance Omot doesn't play if he's healthy. He's really skilled and just needs to rein in his shot selection.

We're probably playing 4 out with Omot, Ola-Joseph or Petraitus guarding the 4 depending on the matchup. Curtis is so raw and I'm not sure what we have with Mahoney. Can't play Dort and Sissoko together because it's spacing suicide.
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barsad
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In reply to concernedparent • 12:00p, 9/30/24
I'm encouraged by the reports on Dort and Sissoko, the 5 is where I thought we were the weakest, but maybe it will be OK if we have decently skilled big men (what happens when one of them goes down?)
I see a different starting 5 every game, at least for the non-con schedule, while Madsen figures out who matches up with what lineups. Maybe you always have a guard (Blacksher or Campbell) and a big man (Sissoko) but the other three may depend on who the other side starts. Looking forward to seeing who can prove themselves early on and lead this team.
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HoopDreams
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In reply to Big C • 4:26p, 9/30/24
Per Omot he'll be ready to go soon


Big C said:
LOUMFSG2 said:
Thanks to all who provided feedback, great info.

I am particularly interested in BJ Omot. I believe he was our second highest rated transfer behind Stojakovic, and he averaged 35.2 minutes and 16.7 points per game last year at North Dakota, so I was expecting he would be one of our top players. His name was not mentioned much at all from those that were there. Was he there / healthy?

He was on the Blue Team, in an un-numbered jersey. (95% sure that's who it was) He and Pavlovic (Gold Team) were the only scholarship players who didn't see action. Injuries, perhaps.
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