Cal will count on leadership of senior forward Rytis Petraitis after transfers of top players

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After losing its top players to other programs in the transfer portal, Cal will count on the leadership and stability of senior forward Rytis Petraitis, who averaged 8.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and a team-best 1.3 steals playing 27.9 minutes last season. He was one of three Golden Bears to appear in all 33 games, starting the final 29.

Scottie Pippen’s son, Justin, transferred from Michigan after coming off the bench as a freshman for the Wolverines. Stephon Marbury II, son of former NBA star Stephon Marbury, didn’t play as a freshman walk-on last season but returns as a sophomore option for coach Mark Madsen.

Cal features nine transfers, including Dai Dai Ames (Virginia) and Chris Bell (Syracuse) from fellow ACC schools. Leading scorer Andrej Stojakovic, son of former NBA all-star Peja Stojakovic, left for Illinois after beginning his collegiate career at Stanford. Cal will miss his 17.9 points per game that ranked sixth in the ACC. He also blocked 1.2 shots per game and averaged 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists playing 33.4 minutes. Cal also lost its second leading scorer when Jeremiah Wilkinson transferred to Georgia. He was the ACC Sixth Man of the Year.

Cal opens the season Nov. 3 at home against Cal State-Bakersfield and the non-conference slate includes two Big 12 foes, a visit to Kansas State and a home game against Utah. The Bears will take on former Pac-12 rival UCLA on Nov. 25 in San Francisco as part of the 2025 Empire Classic. The ACC opener is Dec. 30 at home against Louisville.

The Bears were outscored by their opponents last season, 76.8 to 75.6. ... Cal enters the season with 299 wins at home in Haas Pavilion, while Madsen is chasing his 100th career victory as a college coach, currently at 97. ... Petraitis and transfer Mantas Kocanas are both of Lithuanian descent.

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