Usually, the pressure is only on a coach when he isn't doing a good job. In the case of Cal, Ben Braun is applying the pressure himself.

In his seven years in Berkeley, Braun has taken a program that had fallen off the map due to NCAA violations that occurred during the reign of previous coach Todd Bozeman and built the Bears into one of the Pac-10's top teams.

Now, with three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under his belt, Braun has assembled his most talented roster at Cal after signing a recruiting class ranked in the top 10 by most analysts. This upgrade in talent has increased the pressure on Braun to take that next step, even though he'll have to rely on true freshmen this year to do it.

"It is important how we handle the expectations," Braun says. "It is good for us to have higher goals. It is also exciting to have that enthusiasm and a target we can aim for. But how quickly our young guys can contribute is obviously a question. They are going to have a great opportunity."

FRONTCOURT

With muscular freshman Leon Powe expected to do some of the dirty work on the boards, center Amit Tamir, the Bears' top returning scorer, should be free to roam the perimeter where he feels most comfortable.

"We asked Amit to step up his rebounding last year and he did," Braun says. "We asked him to step up his free throw scoring and he did. Now we are going to ask him to do it all again."

Braun says he has no problem putting pressure on Tamir to be the team leader now that last season's seniors, Joe Shipp and Brian Wethers, have moved on.

"He just gets better every year," Braun says. "Last year, he might have gotten tired at the end of the year. But I played him too many minutes. That was my fault."

With Powe hammering the boards inside and senior center Gabriel Hughes returning to provide the Bears with 15-20 minutes per game, Tamir should be able to remain fresh.

Powe, the jewel of the recruiting class, is the key. If he can provide a spark, then the Bears should be in great shape. If Powe struggles, then Cal could be headed for a mediocre season.

Braun told Powe, who had knee surgery after his junior year of high school, to take it easy over the summer so his knee would have ample time to heal. Powe, considered among the top 10 incoming freshmen in the nation, has shown a great attitude about learning the team concept and not worrying about his point production.

"He talks about learning the fundamentals and learning the footwork," Braun says.

Braun is hoping sophomore forward David Paris (6-foot-9, 260) can provide a little muscle inside as well.

BACKCOURT:

As valuable as Powe should be to the Bears, fellow rookie Ayinde Ubaka could be just as important. Over Braun's tenure at Cal, he has relied on overachievers at point guard. Ubaka could change all that. At 6-3 and 190 pounds, he has the size and strength to break down the defense, a talent that has been lacking at Cal. His potential already has forced Braun to consider switching Richard Midgley, last year's starter at the point, to shooting guard.

"Richard can lead the break, and he can finish," Braun said. "He was certainly a factor for us last year, and he has proven he comes through in the clutch."

Braun also has to find time for diminutive senior A.J. Diggs, one of the Pac-10's top defensive players.

FINAL ANALYSIS

It is not surprising that Cal fans are hoping for immediate results from Powe and Ubaka. It is more logical, however, to expect them to struggle a bit as they learn their roles and limitations in major college basketball.

Powe's presence, especially, will affect Tamir. If he presents a defensive challenge for Cal's opponents, then it will be hard for coaches to double-team Tamir. But if Powe isn't ready to make a substantial offensive contribution, Tamir is going to have plenty of company whenever he touches the ball.

There is more than enough talent at Cal for a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. But it is dangerous to rely on freshmen in the Pac-10 and in the postseason, and the Bears will no doubt need major contributions from their crop of recruits to have a special season.

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