Cal stalled an Air Force rally with a three-point play and a four-point play consecutively in the middle of the second half, and the Bears outfinished the Falcons for a 78-69 nonconference victory Thursday night in Berkeley, Calif.The Falcons were within two points before Lee Dort hit a jumper, was fouled and sank the ensuing free throw with 11:25 remaining.Jeremiah Wilkinson followed up with a 3-pointer and a free throw 37 seconds later to expand the lead to 56-47.Wilkinson, a rare freshman contributor on Cal’s transfer-dominated roster, finished with a game-high-tying 23 points and Andrej Stojakovic had 21, helping the Golden Bears (4-1) win a second straight game.Wilkinson had totaled just 11 points in his first four college games.Ethan Taylor matched Wilkinson’s 23 points and Luke Kearney had 14 for Air Force (1-4), which was playing its first road game of the season.Seeking a third consecutive home win, Cal doubled up Air Force over the first 15 minutes, taking a 30-15 lead at the end of a 14-0 run. Rytis Petraitis had nine points and Wilkinson came off the bench for seven in the Golden Bears’ fast start.The Falcons clawed back, riding 3-pointers from Kearney and Wesley Celichowski to get within 35-27 by halftime. Air Force drew within 49-47 on consecutive 3-pointers by Taylor after halftime, the second with 11:42 remaining.
Cal holds off Air Force’s comeback attempt
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