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		Morris Phillips on Cal basketball By Morris Phillips March 14, 2010

	Sportstalk: You mentioned that Cal could be a tournament dark horse for the Sweet 16 or the Elite Eight. They averaged 83 points in the Pac-10 tourney, an NCAA audition in which they narrowly missed sweeping all three games. Offensively speaking what do you like about what Cal can do entering March Madness? Cal has three explosive scorers, meaning Patrick Christopher, Theo Robertson and Jerome Randle each have the ability to score in bunches and put up big numbers. Jamal Boykin has now become a fourth scorer, with a real knack for stepping away from the basket, and burying mid-range jumpers. If the quartet can produce a 10 or 15 minute burst in the course of the game, it could be the difference. In the tournament, if the burst comes early, being behind on the scoreboard along with the pressure of knowing your season could be ending, could be a real detriment to Cal's opponent. In Louisville, Cal gets an opponent that's not as explosive as Cal, as the Cardinals have struggled to get consistent perimeter scoring all year long. But as always, against Rick Pitino's teams, the question is simple: Can Cal deal with the pressure defense, avoid turnovers, and then make the open shots that will result if they successfully handle the ball. Sportstalk: During the Tournament what did you like about Theo Robertson and Jamal Boykin's contributions. In the loss to Washington on Saturday they contributed 25 and 20 points respectively? Both players really embraced the responsibility of scoring the ball. Robertson and Boykin looked to score against Washington, even before Christopher and Randle began to struggle, which was essential. Robertson has to be the most deferential scorer in the country; he never forces his shots, and plays in a smart, unselfish manner. But he's a senior, and he knows when his team needs him to step it up. Boykin's made incredible strides--offensively, defensively and with his rebounding--in the last month. At this point, it's almost a certainty that if Cal advances, it will be with Boykin having an exemplary performance. Sportstalk: Of the three games Oregon, UCLA and Washington played in the Tournament at Staples Center which one stands out in your mind as the best and what game showed that these guys could go deep into March? No doubt, the championship game against Washington, in which the Bears really competed, even though they came up short. First of all, there are no UCLAs or Oregons left on Cal's schedule. Both of those team's don't have the ability to play consistently for 40 minutes. But Washington came in hot, with everything to play for, and most importantly, with some obvious advantages in personnel and style that really challenged Cal. But the Bears battled, and just came up short.