With seven minutes 42 seconds left in Saturday’s matchup against visiting Cal, Arizona guard Kobi Simmons drove to the basket, got fouled, switched hands, scored and sunk the ensuing free throw.
It was as scintillating as it was clutch.
It was also incredibly needed, as Arizona’s young bench came through in a big way in the Wildcats’ 62-57 win over the Golden Bears. The win, Arizona’s 17th in 18 games, keeps the team atop the Pac-12 standings heading into the final five games of the regular season.
“Kobi, this is one of the best games he’s played,” UA coach Sean Miller said of the freshman. “That’s a credit to him. We needed him tonight, and he delivered. He made big plays. If you score on Cal, you’re a really good player. I have the utmost respect for their defense. They’re organized, big, tough, physical.”
The Wildcats will need to keep getting the kind of bench production they got on Saturday — Arizona’s reserves outscored Cal’s 25-19, with Simmons chipping in 13 and Chance Comanche adding eight.
“We’re used to adjusting — we’ve been through ups and downs in the beginning of the season,” Simmons said. “Players step up and play well.”
On a night when Arizona’s starters slumped, a deep Wildcats squad stepped up.
Lauri Markkanen, plagued by early foul trouble, didn’t score until under 17 minutes remained. It was a big shot — a buzzer-beating 3-pointer directly over a Cal defender — but he’d finish with just six points. Allonzo Trier, still rounding into shape, was held scoreless the first 39 minutes of the game. Rawle Alkins played a nice all-around game, but he scored just five — though his dunk off a fast-break assist from Kadeem Allen gave Arizona a six-point lead with under three minutes left.
“For us to have Lauri and Allonzo play the way they did, get in foul trouble the way they did, I’m happy to come away with a win,” Miller said.
Perhaps the most important individual contribution came from Comanche.
Comanche had four of his points on thunderous dunks and forced his will into five clutch rebounds, including a huge defensive board on a missed 3-pointer with less than 40 seconds left. He’d go on to hit one of two free throws to give Arizona an important seven-point cushion.
“Chance is improving,” Miller said. “The one floater he had in the second half really shows his talent. He’s been coming on for a long time. He’s a very, very valuable player for our team. Up at Cal, he was a big reason we won.”
Added Allen: “He stepped up. Lauri getting in foul trouble, Allonzo getting in foul trouble, Chance stepped up.”
