Bears’ ‘great shots’ turn things around
Cal point guard Paris Austin said he hasn’t gotten back on his usual sleep cycle since returning from an eight-day trip to China on Saturday, but there were no signs of a lack of rest in his play Tuesday night.
The junior transfer from Boise State had 20 points and six assists to zero turnovers in leading the Bears to an 80-66 victory over Hampton at Haas Pavilion in a preliminary game of the Legends Classic.
“He’s just someone you trust the ball with,” head coach Wyking Jones said. “He’s going to make the right decisions. He’s going to take care of his teammates. … You couldn’t ask for anything more from him.”
The Bears (1-1) trailed for only 45 seconds and led by as many as 19 points in responding to Friday’s 76-59 seasonopening loss to Yale in China, showcasing a drastically enhanced level of ball and player movement.
Four of the Bears’ five starters scored in double figures, including Andre Kelly and Justice Sueing, who had 17 points and seven rebounds apiece, and Darius McNeill, who broke out of a mini-slump with 11 points on 3-for-6 threepoint shooting.
“Versus Yale, I think we were really excited. We just came out jacking up shots,” Austin said. “Tonight, our emphasis was getting great shots, instead of good shots. Make one more pass. We moved the ball at a fast pace, and things opened up for us.”
The Pirates (1-2), who were picked to finish third in the Big South, got a game-high 26 points from Jermaine Marrow, but they shot 3-for-21 from three-point range and couldn’t complete a second-half comeback attempt.
Cal plays Detroit-Mercy on Thursday before heading to Brooklyn for the semifinals against St. John’s. The Bears then will play either VCU or Temple in the championship or consolation of the tournament.
“We knew that we were going to be traveling,” Austin said. “We knew it was going to be tough, but there are no excuses.”
Cal went on a 12-0 run midway through the first half to take a 31-17 lead with 8:18 remaining. McNeill had two three-pointers during the stretch.
Kelly’s layup 1:18 into the second half pushed Cal’s lead to 19 points, but Hampton responded with a 17-3 spurt, during which the Bears made one field goal in 4½ minutes. The Pirates trailed only 61-55 with 7½ minutes remaining, but Kelly had five points during an 8-0, game-clinching run.
“He showed some great footwork,” Jones said of Kelly. “He didn’t look like a freshman tonight. He really showed the poise down there in the post, took his time, didn’t rush and got quality shots.”