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Cal Basketball: Men's and Women's Teams Sign Three Apiece

The dust has settled from the early signing period for Cal's men's and women's basketball programs, as both teams signed three players apiece over the past three days. On the men's side, the Bears signed guard Marsalis Roberson, along with two forwards in Sam Alajiki and Obinna Anyanwu. The women's side landed signatures from guard Jayda Curry, guard Mia Mastrov, and grad transfer forward Jadyn Bush.

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Alajiki, listed at 6'7" and 225 lbs, originally hails from Dundalk, Ireland. He moved to England prior to coming stateside, spending his junior year at West Virginia's Beckley Prep. He has since transferred to St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, New Jersey for his senior season. Alajiki committed to the Bears last Friday prior to signing on Thursday.

"Sam is a mature young man and an elite student who comes from a great family," Cal head coach Mark Fox said in a release. "We believe he is a guy who can play, athletically, in our league right now. In addition to being a downhill bull with the ball in his hands, Sam is a good shooter."

The second signee came today, as Bishop O'Dowd guard Marsalis Roberson signed with the Bears after committing in October. Roberson, former and future teammate of Cal's Monty Bowser, was the Bay Area Preps HQ player of the year for the 2019-20 season, leading Bishop O'Dowd in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.5 rpg). He's a skilled lefty scorer who can bring extra punch to the wing spots with his 6'5" frame.

"Marsalis is a great kid with high character," Fox said. "He's a conscientious student, a hard worker and very competitive. His athleticism and aggression on both ends of the floor really stand out."

The third signee, Anyanwu, was a surprise to many when his signing was announced this morning. The 6'7" 215 lb. forward from San Diego power Central Catholic was ranked as the 29th best power forward recruit in the class of 2021. His Central Catholic teams have won two CIF titles, as averaged 13 points per game and 10 rebounds per game as a junior.

"Obinna is big and can play the three or the four position," Fox said. "He's physically imposing, and his motor is what immediately drew us to him. He's relentless and attacks the basket and the boards with energy. His skills have developed to where he can now consistently knock down the outside jump shot, and we see him only getting better."

Women's Signees

The first signee on the women's side came in form of Jayda Curry. The 5'6" point guard averaged 22.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game on her way to Riverside County and Press Enterprise Player of the Year honors. Curry was also named to CalHi Sports and CIF All-State Open Division First Teams for her performance and holds the Centennial HS record for most points in a game (43).

"Well, there will be another Curry in the Bay getting buckets," head coach Charmin Smith said in a release. "Jayda can flat out score the basketball! Whether it be the three point shot or getting to the basket, Jayda has found a way to put the ball in the hole. She also has the ability to find her teammates and make those around her better. With amazing quickness and speed, Jayda has the potential to have a really smooth transition to Pac-12 basketball and we are excited about her impact here at Cal. Jayda also understands the big picture and will take advantage of all that Cal has to offer her, on the court and off, to ensure she is developing to her full potential."

Mastrov comes to the Bears from the other side of the Caldecott tunnel, as the Miramonte standout has some Cal ties. Her grandfather Bert played on Pete Newell's Cal teams in the 1950s, and she's been attending Cal game since childhood.

"I am excited to play basketball at Cal because ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of doing so," Mastrov said in the release. "Cal feels like home to me. I grew up a Cal Bear, having watched the women's team reach the final four and catching a few men's games here and there. The atmosphere inside of Haas Pavilion is unlike anywhere else in the country and I cannot wait to finally be able to be on the floor instead of in the stands."

Mastrov has averaged 12.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game over her first three seasons at Miramonte, already eclipsing the 1000 career points mark.

"I've watched Mia play for so long and always felt like she should be a Bear," Smith said. "Now that day is finally here and we are so happy. Mia comes from a winning high school and club program. She's played with and against the best and knows how to compete. She's very versatile with exceptional length that makes her a nuisance to her opponent, whether it be getting her hands on the ball defensively or stretching by a defender to get to the basket. Mia is strong and athletic with an amazing work ethic. Her future is bright at Cal and I know our fans will appreciate us keeping local talent home!"

Bush is the final addition for Smith and company, a grad transfer from Harvard who brings starting experience to the Cal side. Bush started 28 games for the Crimson in 2018-19, averaging 10.9 points per game and 8.5 rebounds, along with shooting 53.1% from the field.

"We are extremely lucky to have Jadyn joining our Golden Bears," Smith said. "We will benefit from her veteran leadership, her efficiency around the rim and her tenacity in the paint and on the glass. Her competitive drive separates her from most. In addition, Jadyn possesses the character that fits this Cal family and I know she will be a phenomenal teammate. I've enjoyed our conversations during this challenging time in our nation and I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to not only coach Jadyn, but to also continue to learn from her and the rest of our Cal women's basketball family through honest conversation."

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