USC Finds Cal Isn’t Kidding : Trojans: Chatman scores 37, but freshman star rallies Bears to 86-83 victory in overtime.

BERKELEY — The California Bears are beginning to like their youth movement.

They had to go overtime and overcome a fabulous performance by Rodney Chatman, but the Bears, with freshman Jason Kidd making a key three-point basket, beat USC, 86-83, Thursday night at Harmon Arena.

It was the third victory in a row for the Bears under Coach Todd Bozeman, the surprise replacement when Lou Campanelli was fired two weeks ago.

A three-point field goal by Akili Jones of Cal (13-7 overall, 6-5 in the Pac-10) with 43 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime at 76-76.

Kidd was hyperventilating and missed the start of overtime. He later said he was leg-weary and needed the rest.

With Kidd on the bench, Chatman and the Trojans (13-8, 6-6) jumped ahead, 82-76. A three-pointer by Chatman with 3:21 left was his 37th point--far and away the best night of the senior guard’s career.

Chatman made 13 of 17 shots, including six of seven three-pointers--a couple of them from 25 feet away. When Chatman fouled out in the closing seconds of overtime, the Trojans could not come up with another rally.

Kidd came back and the Bears, already talking about a bid to the NCAA tournament, outscored the Trojans, 10-1, the rest of the way. Kidd scored five of the points, including a three-point shot that gave Cal an 84-83 lead with 1:29 to play.

The Trojans had a chance to win in regulation when they set up Phil Glenn for a wide-open three-pointer. Glenn’s shot dipped in and came out.

USC Coach George Raveling praised both teams and thanked the Bears’ K.J. Roberts, a reserve guard who told the Daily Californian, Cal’s student newspaper, that the Bears would blow the Trojans away.

“I didn’t need to give a pep talk,” Raveling said. “I knew our players would be ready. We don’t get any respect, but we’re not that bad.

“I can’t fault our team. Even though we had a lot of turnovers, 14 in the first half, our kids played their hearts out.

“Todd Bozeman may have been an unknown quantity when he was given the job, but he did a major league job of coaching tonight.

“When we were hitting the three-pointers, Bozeman went to the three guards and they came through. It was a smart move.”

The Bears had to fight back from an 11-point deficit in the first half and a nine-point deficit with seven minutes to play.

Each time, Kidd seemed to make the key plays. He had 25 points, 10 assists and six steals.

USC stayed in the game by making 14 of 22 three-pointers. The Trojans had 25 turnovers and were outrebounded, 38-30.

The Bears appeared winded in the middle of the first half and the Trojans seemed to be in control.

USC was making three-pointers and scoring in close, too, but when rebounders Mark Boyd and Lorenzo Orr got into foul trouble, Cal took heart.

While the Trojans went more than four minutes without a point, the Bears scored 13 consecutive points, five by Kidd.