On Saturday, Stanford men’s basketball defeated its rival, California, 89-81, in a physical contest at Haas Pavilion.
The Cardinal controlled the game with sizable leads, weathering a late rally by the Golden Bears to secure the victory. Former Stanford guard Andrej Stojakovic, who now plays on the rival team, led all scorers with 25 points, but seniors Jaylen Blakes and Maxime Raynaud powered Stanford to the win with 20 points each.
Facing a hostile road crowd, the Cardinal set the tone early, opening with a 7-0 run. Raynaud sparked the scoring with a three-pointer, energizing his teammates and quieting the Cal fans with an emphatic gesture toward the stands.
Stanford maintained its advantage for much of the first half, extending the lead to as many as 11 points. However, Stojakovic’s dynamic play helped Cal claw back, tying the game at 29 with five minutes remaining. The Bears’ momentum was short-lived, as Blakes responded with back-to-back three-pointers and an assist on another score, restoring Stanford’s control.
The Cardinal ended the half on a high note, taking a commanding 16-point lead into the break after a last-minute jumper by Blakes. Stanford shot 48.9% from the field in the first half, including eight of 18 from beyond the arc, while converting all eight of its free-throw attempts. Cal struggled offensively, shooting just 37.5% and missing all six of its three-point tries.
The Bears improved their three-point shooting in the second half, but Stanford continued to dominate, pushing its lead to 20 points with five minutes remaining. Cal mounted a late 24-12 run to pull within six points, with Stojakovic contributing 11 points during the surge, but the deficit proved insurmountable.
Blakes and Raynaud delivered all-around performances in the ACC opener. Blakes added six assists, a steal, and two blocks to his 20 points, while Raynaud anchored the defense with five blocks. Junior Oziyah Sellers and sophomore Ryan Agarwal were also key contributors, scoring 16 and 11 points, respectively, while shooting 50% from three-point range.
Stanford will look to extend its winning streak to three games when it hosts Merrimack on Dec. 17.