For Bears, positives — but another loss

This deep into a historically poor season, it starts to become about the small victories.

Cal nearly picked up one such victory Thursday night, falling to Washington State 78-76 in a game that broke a tie for last place in the Pac-12 in front of an announced crowd of 6,552 — the smallest turnout at Haas Pavilion since Nov. 28.

Nursing a one-point lead in the closing 30 seconds, Darius McNeill’s entry pass was stolen, and Malachi Flynn hit a corner three-pointer to put Washington State on top 76-74 with 27 seconds on the clock.

Marcus Lee tied it on a layup with seven seconds to play, but Drick Bernstine beat everyone down the court for a gamewinning layup that ruined a story about Cal getting some unexpected production.

“It was pretty much a lack of focus when we needed it the most,” said Cal freshman forward Justice Sueing, who scored a game-high 25 points on 9-for-17 shooting. “That game should have been ours.”

With seniors Nick Hamilton (left leg) and Cole Welle (right hand) ailing and senior center Kingsley Okoroh struggling to impact Washington State’s perimeter-based offense, Cal got contributions from some young and unlikely sources.

Snapping a slump during which he shot worse than 50 percent in 10 straight games, Sueing had a bounce-back game. Freshman guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson put up 10 points, nine rebounds and a personalhigh seven assists. Seldomused Roman Davis, who had 26 points all season, delivered a career-high 15 points.

“I wasn’t really doing too much thinking,” Davis said. “I was just hooping and trying to make plays.”

It wasn’t quite enough to prevent Cal (8-20, 2-13) from losing for the 13th time in its past 14 games as it fell into sole possession of last place in the Pac-12 standings.

“It a lack was of pretty focus much when we needed it the most. That game should have been ours.” Justice Sueing, who scored 25 points

The Cougars (11-16, 3-12) got a school-record 10 three-pointers from Robert Franks in the teams’ first meeting in January, WSU’s 78-53 win in Pullman, but this time, they used a balanced attack.

Franks didn’t make a threepointer, but led the way with 15 points, and Viont’e Daniels, Flynn and Bernstine had 14 points apiece — a trend that started to take shape from the early minutes.

Bernstine scored eight points during a 16-3 run that gave Washington State a 19-13 lead midway through the first half, and the Cougars were still leading by six with less than seven minutes to play before intermission.

“We let them go on a run and take control of that first half,” Cal head coach Wyking Jones said. “We have to play 40 minutes of basketball. We can’t afford to not play well for a seven-minute stretch, and I think that cost us.”

Cal trailed by as many as eight points in the second half, but an eight-point outburst by Sueing closed the gap. Lee’s floater capped the comeback, tying it 55-55 with 10½ minutes to play.

After Franks hit two free throws, Sueing continued his onslaught with three-pointers that put Cal ahead 58-57 — the Bears’ first lead since the opening five minutes — and 61-59. Cal was still clinging to a onepoint lead as the game closed in on its gripping final 90 seconds.

Cal outrebounded Washington State 34-26, shot 54.2 percent from the floor and 60 percent from the three-point line in the second half, and finished with 17 assists to 12 turnovers.

“I’m looking at this stat sheet, and I’m confused,” said Jones, who recognized just how close his team was to winning.