Cal Basketball Expects Improved Depth to Pay Off in ACC Debut Season

At ACC media day, coach Mark Madsen discusses how he views his second team at Cal

Mark Madsen at ACC media day / Jeff Faraudo

In his second season as Cal basketball coach, Mark Madsen is convinced improved depth will help the Bears find more success in close games.

Madsen, talking Thursday morning on the ACC Network from the Bears’ first trip to Atlantic Coast Conference media days, referenced the team’s early-season struggles in one-possession games.

Cal lost its first seven games decided by three points or fewer or in overtime last season. They won three of their final five in the same scenario.

“We had kind of a rash of injuries in the non-conference last year and then after that we struggled in some of those one-possession games because  guys got worn down,” Madsen said. “We have much more depth this year.”

In fact, Madsen’s roster is made up largely of veteran players he recruited out of the transfer portal. He believes all of them will contribute.

“We have 10, 11 guys that you could put into a game at anytime,” Madsen said. “Guys are capable of making an impact either on the defensive end, with multiple deflections and blocks, or being able go for 25 to 30 (points). We’ve got a lot of different guys who can do that.”

A year after the program staggered to a worst-ever record of 3-29, Madsen’s first team found more rhythm once it got into Pac-12 play. The Bears were 9-11 in conference play, despite losing their final three regular-season games. 

The move to the ACC was initially a shock, Madsen said, but he and his players are fired up about joining what has traditionally been the nation’s elite basketball conference.

ACC teams are 33-15 in the NCAA tournament the past three seasons and have won eight national championships since 2000.

Andrej Stojakovic drives on Cal a year ago / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

“We’re extremely excited to compete with the highest level of teams in the ACC,” said sophomore guard Andrej Stojakovic, a transfer from Stanford. “We do think this is the best basketball conference in the country. We’re looking forward to traveling across the way and making a name for the program. We believe we belong here.”

Madsen, who grew up in the East Bay community of Danville, just 20 minutes east of Berkeley, said he wanted to play at Duke when he was in high school. 

“Coach K said no,” he said, referring for Duke coaching legend Mike Krzyzewski. Madsen went to Stanford instead and beat the Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden in the opening game of his senior season of 1999-2000.

Madsen’s admiration for the league endures.

“The ACC is such a basketball conference,” Madsen continued. “As we talk to basketball players, we cover the basketball piece. Now we can also cover the nationwide marketing piece.

“I don’t think there’s any other school better positioned than Cal with the marketing side of things on the West Coast but now also on the East Coast. To allow our players to have nationwide exposure only helps them.”

The Bears, who open their season on Nov. 4 at home against Cal State Bakersfield, will be a work in progress but got a head start on building chemistry in the offseason.

“We have a lot of new faces but throughout this summer we’re learning how to play together. We’ve got a lot of pieces,” said senior center Mady Sissoko, a native of Mali and graduate transfer from Michigan State.

Madsen likes the look of his roster, and sees a more balanced team than a year ago, when the Bears leaned heavily on wing Jaylon Tyson for scoring. 

He also said Tyson’s success, leading to him being chosen at No. 20 by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA draft, and the Bears’ NBA playing style both contributed to their recruiting efforts in the transfer portal.

“Jaylon Tyson (has) talked about being so much further ahead with the Cavs because he understands the NBA concepts,” Madsen said. “We believe it helps us win and it’s a big advantage in recruiting.”

Here’s what Madsen had to say about the two players who accompanied him to Charlotte, NC, for media days: 

On Stojakovic: “Andrej is one of the hardest-working players you’re ever going to meet. He can play multiple positions. He shoots it from 3, he gets to the rim, he’s got a mid-range game. And he’s someone who cares deeply about winning. Andrej’s going to do great things at Cal, not only on the court but off. It’s fantastic to have him in this program.”

On Sissoko: “Mady is a player cut a little bit out of Carlos (Boozer’s) cloth. The toughness, the tenacity, the leadership. He backs down from no one. He’s going to block shots. We joke in practice — if he has a call he doesn’t like, you want to steer clear. Just a ferocious, very skilled big man. Can make a nice mid-range shot and has a great jump hook.”