Last year the University of California went 23-9 and 12-6 in the conference with a first round NCAA tournament loss. This year they expect more, maybe much more. Cal is riding the recruiting success of their former coach who recruited 6-3 Center Jessica Lawson four years ago and then the Fab 5 three years ago. Then she was shown the door. To be fair, excellent players or not, there was nothing in Caren’s win loss record at Cal to indicate she could go 23-9.
Fast forward three years and Cal is ready to contend for the Pac 10 Championship and make a deep run into the Dance, the NCAA Tournament. Four of the Fab 5 are only Jrs, although one of them hasn’t turned out Fab. Also Cal lost Morris, a Fab 5er, Lawson, the Center, and recent recruit Sanford. This would have been the depth and maybe even two of them starters, making the depth for Cal awesome. Alas, that have what is left. However in Hampton, Walker and Gray-Lawson they certainly have three athletes who may well be All Conference and more.
Head Coach Joanne Boyle thought about the Duke job, then thought some more and then said Cal will be just fine thank you, and stayed. She immediately turned over her staff with two new Assistants. Former Stanford star and Assistant Charmin Smith moved to Cal as did well known AAU Coach Kevin Morrison.
The post players will be 6-3 Jr Devanei Hampton and 6-1 Jr Ashley Walker. Hampton was the Pac 10 Player of the Year while averaging 16.6 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game. The best part is she plays to her middle name, Devanei is Unique. Walker led the Bears in both scoring and rebounding with 17.3 and 8.7. She may be 6-1 but she is a Bear (enough of that) under the basket. The only posts back up, whoa could they use the depth that left, is 6-5 Soph, Rama N’diaye. Rama averaged 4.6 points and 2.8 rebounds, while averaging 17 minutes per game.
There are two other potential 4’s, although they are more likely 3’s. 6-0 Sr (the only Cal Sr) Krista Foster and 6-0 Jr and Fab 5er Shantrell Snead. Foster played a bit less last year than her first 2 years, but remained consistent with 4 points and 2 rebounds in 15 minutes per game for her Cal career. She’s a solid player both offensively and defensively. Sneed hasn’t played much at Cal, but may be the healthiest she has been in 3 years.
Cal will start with a 3 Guard, 2 Post line-up. Alexis Gray-Lawson returns after having torn her ACL in her 9th game last year. She’s a 5-8 Jr. Her career numbers are 4 points and 4 rebounds per game. Her assist to turnover ratio is not good, 1.3 turnovers per assist. She’s 37% from 3. Alexis is a natural scorer and if 5-8 Soph Natasha Vital can continue her improvement that the Point this would be huge toward Cal’s successful season. Vital averaged 7.2 points per game and had a plus turnover ratio of 1.1 assist per turnover. Vital certainly took better care of the ball later in the season than after having to suddenly replace Alexis at the Point.
5-10 Soph Lauren Grief will be the 5th starter, and the 3rd Guard in the Line-up. She started every game last year, averaged 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, and 36 minutes per game and had a plus assist to turnover ratio. And Lauren shot 35% from 3. She is a fan favorite. How big a fan favorite? At her 100 plus year old High School she was the first player to have her jersey number retired.
Back ups will be the 6-1 Canadian National Team member, Frosh Kelsey Adrian and 5-11 Frosh Rachelle Federico. Adrian can play the 2, 3 or 4, and should be able to add some instant offensive off the bench. Federico will have competition for playing time, but there are only 10 players on Cal’s roster so she may get some quality minutes at some point.
Cal is ranked from 8-12 in the National Polls and while lacking depth, should be an outstanding team.
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