BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Mike Montgomery's successful first season as coach at California has his Golden Bears generating more attention heading into 2009-10.
Cal went from ninth place in the Pac-10 to the NCAA tournament in one year. Now, the Bears want to get back — a realistic goal for a program with almost its entire roster intact from last season's run.
The Bears won 22 games and placed third in the conference, five spots higher than they were picked to finish. And that's after the program lost reigning Pac-10 scoring leader Ryan Anderson early to the NBA.
Cal is expected to be in the Associated Press preseason poll for the first time since being ranked sixth in 1993 at the start of Jason Kidd's sophomore season.
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