The California Golden Bears are in the midst of a retooling of their team. In the first year with new head coach Mark Madsen at the helm, the Bears finished with a record of 13-19 and only 9-11 in Pac-12 Conference play. But with the program set to move to the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 2024-25 season, Cal has reloaded their roster with the latest commitment coming from high school senior guard Jovani Ruff as per Joe Tipton of On3 Sports.
Jovani Ruff announced his commitment via livestream through Tipton and On3 Sports after narrowing his final four choices down to Cal, USC, Oregon and Kansas. A four-star guard, Ruff ultimately chose the Bears due to their firm belief in him.
“I picked Cal because they were on me the hardest,” Ruff said. “Through the ups and downs, they believed in me the most out of all the schools, and it's a Cali school. Coach Madsen and the staff made me feel like family for the first time I took my official visit, they keep it real with me and we've had some deep conversations not just basketball but life.”
Ruff recently completed his senior year at Long Beach Poly High School in Southern California. He also spoke about what he'll be able to bring to the court for Cal next season.
“I would say I'm a two-way threat,” Ruff said. “I can score at will while guarding the other team's best player, and I want to win.”
Cal bolstered roster in offseason with several transfers
Jovani Ruff won't be the only newcomer for Cal for the 2024-25 season. Mark Madsen and his staff were busy in the transfer portal this offseason adding several quality players.
In total, the Bears added nine new players through the transfer portal. Their most recent addition came this week in the form of standout guard Jovan Blacksher who helped lead Grand Canyon University to the NCAA Tournament last season.
Cal also landed the commitments of former Michigan State big man Mady Sissoko, former Minnesota forward Josh Ola-Joseph, former Air Force forward Ryan Petraitis, former Stanford wing Andrej Stojakovic, former Vanderbilt center Lee Dort, former UTSA guard Christian Tucker, former North Dakota forward BJ Omot and former Western Carolina guard DJ Campbell.
Ruff is joined by Jeremiah Wilkinson in Cal's 2024 incoming freshman class. Wilkinson is a combo guard who was a three-star recruit coming out of powerhouse McEachern High School in Georgia. The Bears also added small forward Jeff Nwankwo as a junior college transfer from Cowley College.
Cal is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. That year they were eliminated in the first round by Hawaii. Madsen will be entering his second year at the helm as the Bears being ACC competition.
Prior to arriving at Cal, Madsen was the head coach at Utah Valley University from 2019-2023. During that stretch he compiled a record of 70-51. His stint included two Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season championships as well as an NIT appearance in 2023. He was named the 2023 WAC Coach of the Year.
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