Bird’s 3 helps Bears edge Gaels
After an underwhelming win Wednesday night over Incarnate Word, Cal players convened away from coaches.
“We knew we needed to talk,” guard Jabari Bird said. “It was pretty obvious we weren’t clicking like we needed to be.”
The Bears delivered their most complete performance of the season Saturday at Haas Pavilion. Yet, to escape with a 63-59 victory over St. Mary’s, they still needed Bird’s late threepointer.
It was a heart-thumping renewal of the Bay Area rivalry after an 11-year hiatus. The Gaels (6-1), one of 10 undefeated teams in Division I
before Saturday, and Bears (8-2) traded leads 14 times. Outside of Cal’s 10-2 advantage in blocks, both sides of the final box score were nearly identical.
“First of all, it was a great game,” St. Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett said. “I’m glad we scheduled the game because it’s good for our program, and I think it’s good for them, too.”
During a timeout with Cal down 59-58 with 19 seconds left, Bird noted that the Gaels had been sagging off him on the perimeter. Moments later, point guard Tyrone Wallace found him for a spot-up three near the top of the arc.
Bears head coach Cuonzo Martin jumped up and down, screaming for his players to hurry back on defense. Cal fans went silent when officials whistled Wallace for a foul with two seconds left. Gaels guard Joe Rahon missed the front end of a one-and-one. After Bears forward Jaylen Brown hit two free throws with one second left to polish off the win, players embraced Bird near midcourt.
“It felt good,” Bird said of his three. “I knew it was going in. I wouldn’t have shot it if I didn’t think it was.”
Turnovers and three-point shooting, problem spots for Cal much of the year, were hardly issues Saturday. The Bears finished 8-for-20 from deep. Three days removed from losing the ball 19 times against Incarnate Word, they tallied just 10 turnovers.
Cal freshman Ivan Rabb enjoyed the best performance of his young career: 15 points on 7-for-13 shooting, 11 rebounds, a steal and four blocks. That missed free throw overshadowed a 14-point, fiverebound, four-assist outing from Rahon.
“It was a great atmosphere,” Rahon said. “I think both teams fed off the energy and raised the game to another level.”
The Bears opened 4-for-15 from the field. Then Cal settled into an offensive groove, using an 18-4 run to seize a 12-point lead late in the first half.
Out of intermission, center Evan Fitzner hit three threepointers to kick-start a Gaels rally. Cal missed three of three shots and committed two turnovers before the first media timeout of the half. After Fitzner hit a jumper with 10:32 remaining, a 23-7run had given St. Mary’s a 49-44 edge.
Within four minutes, the Bears tied the score three times before Brown hit a free throw and a layup to put Cal up a point late. Rahon knifed through the key for a layup with 1:47 left, ahead of Bird’s late heroics.
“I think the big thing for us is learning how to bring it when there aren’t as many people, in those smaller games,” Bird said. “We need to bring the same energy every night.”
Bennett and Martin said they hope to schedule more meetings, reigniting a local matchup that was almost annual for more than seven decades. The first installment since 2004 helped Cal move past a forgettable five-game stretch. The Bears’ next true test figures to come Dec. 22, when they face No. 10 Virginia on the road.
“I don’t mind if guys meet,” Martin said, “as long as they get something accomplished.”