Cal prepares to face San Diego St. amid investigation into fan

Field Level Media|published: Sat 25th November, 04:19 2023

Texas Tech's forward Fardaws Aimaq (11) shoots the ball during practice ahead of the Big 12 basketball tournament, Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. credits: Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Cal men's basketball team made international headlines this week at the SoCal Challenge in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Cal coach Mark Madsen said he asked the tournament director to investigate the actions of a fan who called forward Fardaws Aimaq a "terrorist" during a Monday game against UTEP.

The Golden Bears are preparing to take on San Diego State on Saturday afternoon in the same venue in San Juan Capistrano, a game being billed as the SoCal Showcase.

The Monday exchange caused Aimaq to enter the stands to confront the fan after Cal's 75-72 loss.

Aimaq, a Canadian whose parents are Afghan refugees, is averaging 17.2 points and 9.7 rebounds per game for Cal (2-4). The 6-foot-11 senior previously played for Mercer, Texas Tech and Utah Valley.

"Fardaws and I had an important conversation (Wednesday) about how he needs to maintain his composure regardless of what takes place in a game or what is said to him directly," Madsen said. "I am disturbed that Fardaws was allegedly on the receiving end of such language, and I'm disappointed that he confronted this fan in the stands."

Jaylon Tyson leads the Golden Bears in scoring at 19.8 points per game. He scored 24 in an 84-81 loss to Tulane on Wednesday in San Juan Capistrano, making 5 of 7 shots from 3-point range.

San Diego State (4-1) opened the season ranked No. 17 in the AP Top 25 following its trip to the NCAA Tournament's championship game last spring.

The Aztecs dropped out following a 74-65 loss to BYU in their second game but have won three straight since, most recently a 100-97 overtime victory against Washington on Sunday in the title game of the Continental Tire Main Event tournament in Las Vegas.

Jaedon LeDee scored a career-high 34 points, including 10 in overtime, and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead San Diego State against the Huskies.

"I've just seen a guy that's let the game come to him," San Diego State assistant coach Chris Acker said of LeDee. "Minus the BYU game, he hasn't forced anything."

—Field Level Media

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