ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 1 Power Rankings
By Trevor Booth
11. California Golden Bears
Coming off an eight-win season that most people in Berkeley would like to forget, anticipated improvements during the 2018-19 campaign will likely be marginal.
With center Marcus Lee graduating and leading scorer Don Coleman transferring to South Alabama, the Golden Bears will have to once again instill a great deal of trust into an inexperienced core.
Sophomores Justice Sueing and Darius McNeill should both be bright spots for coach Wyking Jones on an otherwise-lacking roster.
Sueing’s game is centered around consistency. The 6-foot-7 wing is a dangerous threat to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim or step out and shoot 3-point jumpers. Despite his youth, his game is mature as he doesn’t settle for a lot of bad shots. The next step for Sueing is making shots at a better rate.
McNeill returns to command the backcourt after he was the fourth leading scorer on the team last year at 11.3 points per game. Among returning players, only Sueing averaged a higher per-game average than McNeill.
When looking at underclassmen who can make an early impact, freshman Matt Bradley stands out. The 4-star prospect is expected to contribute right away for the Bears this season. In an exhibition against Cal State East Bay, Bradley had a team-high 18 points on 60 percent shooting, collecting five rebounds to go with three assists.
Though it is unlikely Cal is in the top half of the Pac-12 standings come March, this team could offer glimpses of what is to come under Jones.
The Golden Bears will get their first opportunity to play this season in front of an international crowd when they take on Yale in Shanghai.