In a thrilling matchup held in Berkeley, California, the Golden Bears secured a commanding victory over the Air Force Falcons with a final score of 78-69 on Thursday evening. Freshman standout Jeremiah Wilkinson delivered an impressive performance off the bench, scoring 23 points. He was closely followed by teammate Andrej Stojakovic, who contributed 21 points to help California improve their season record to 4-1.

Wilkinson, who had previously managed only 11 points throughout the first four games of the season, showcased his scoring ability by converting 8 of his 12 attempts from the floor, including two 3-pointers. He also demonstrated solid free-throw shooting by hitting 5 of 7 attempts, along with pulling down four rebounds. Stojakovic was effective in his shooting as well, managing to score 21 points with 8 of 19 shooting and adding six rebounds to his performance.

Rytis Petraitis also played a crucial role, contributing 12 points, five rebounds, and four steals for the Golden Bears. Air Force was led by Ethan Taylor, who was the top scorer of the night with 23 points, including five 3-pointers, although he eventually fouled out of the game. Additional contributions from Luke Kearney, who added 14 points off the bench, and Wesley Celichowski, who chipped in with 12 points and two 3-pointers, kept the Falcons competitive.

In the first half, Petraitis was on fire, hitting all four of his shots and converting all three free throws to rack up 11 points, leading California to a 35-27 advantage at halftime. Kearney helped Air Force keep pace by scoring 10 points, including two 3-pointers.

Air Force made a strong push in the second half, with Taylor hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to narrow the gap to 49-47 with just over eleven minutes remaining. However, California’s Lee Dort responded with a three-point play, and Wilkinson followed up with a remarkable four-point play, which extended the Golden Bears’ lead to a secure margin that they maintained for the duration of the game.

Throughout the contest, California posted a shooting percentage of 53.8%, although their three-point shooting was less impressive, making only 4 of 13 attempts. The team struggled at the free-throw line, missing nine of their 27 attempts. On the other hand, Air Force shot an effective 51% overall, successfully hitting 11 of their 24 three-point attempts (45.8%) and converting 6 of 11 at the charity stripe.

Looking ahead, the Golden Bears are set to host Sacramento State in the upcoming Cal Classic event on Sunday, while the Falcons will return home to face Mercyhurst on the same day.