Cam Polak has a ritual.
Like clockwork, the California University of Pennsylvania redshirt junior guard finds himself drawn toward the free-throw line every time he’s on a basketball court.
“I can’t leave the court until I make 10 in a row, and I don’t start my workout until I make 10 in a row,” the West Homestead native and 2020 Steel Valley graduate said. “It’s a big thing. You’ve got to get the easy stuff.”
No one in the country has been as good at the “easy stuff” this season.
Polak is currently leading NCAA Division II basketball in free-throw percentage. He has made 74-of-78 attempts from the charity stripe through 19 games, which is good for 94.9%.
“I’ve always been a pretty good free-throw shooter, high 80s,” Polak said. “This year, I’ve totally locked in way more on it.”
After missing all of last season with a broken right wrist, Polak is excelling in all areas of his game.
Polak is back in the Vulcans starting lineup, averaging a career-high 17.7 points per game with 48 assists, 17 steals and 4.8 rebounds per game. He is shooting 41% from the field and 37% from 3-point range.

“Cam’s a little bit quiet,” seventh-year California coach Danny Sancomb said. “He’s all business, a great work ethic. He’s in the gym all the time. He loves the process — I mean, really, really loves it. As much as you can be in the gym, he’s there.
“He’s very steady with his approach to the game,” Sancomb added. “He works at his craft very, very hard.”
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound shooting guard’s path toward success at California wasn’t always easy.
Polak transferred to Sancomb’s program after playing one season at Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division West Chester as a freshman. He appeared in 29 games, starting two, averaging 5.6 points per game.
In his first season at California in 2022-23, Polak started all 30 of the Vulcans games and flourished in that role, averaging 13.7 points per contest, while shooting 45% from the field and 37% from 3-point range.
“He’s just a really good shooter in general,” Sancomb said. “He’s much more than just a shooter, he’s a scorer, but he really shoots the ball at a high level.”
Then, while playing in a summer league game following the season, disaster struck.
“I just went up for a layup, and some guy took out my legs,” Polak said. “I fell on both of my wrists. Luckily, it was only one wrist that got broken, but it was my shooting wrist.”
Polak said the process of rehabbing the injury was difficult at times.
“I would shoot thousands of shots a day, so if it didn’t feel right, I’d have to stop, ice, rehab it,” he said. “It took a little bit longer than I think it should have, but it’s all working out now.”
Sancomb couldn’t agree more.
“The progression that I’m seeing right now is just, offensively he is really good,” Sancomb said. “He’s a great 3-point shooter. He’s really good in mid-range and pull-ups, and he has the ability to get to the rim and finish as well. When they talk about three-level scorers, Cam has the ability to do that. He helps out, he’s a really good passer as well.”
Polak said he also benefited a great deal during his time on the bench last season.
“I was just seeing more different sides of the game,” he said. “Instead of going out there and playing, I was seeing guys’ tendencies. It was a different look at the game, a different perspective.”
Things have been going especially well as of late.
Polak was named PSAC West Division Player of the Week Jan. 13 for the first time in his career. He averaged 26 points, 6½ rebounds and 5 assists in Vulcans victories against division foes Seton Hill and Slippery Rock last week.
Sancomb said Polak is among the top scorers in the PSAC.
“He’s a very good player,” Sancomb said. “I think when you start talking about two-guards, he’s just a hard matchup.”
Polak followed up his performance a week ago by scoring a game-high 35 points in a victory against Clarion Wednesday night. He then converted all eight of his free-throw attempts, scored 20 points and made 4 3-pointers in the Vulcans’ 105-93 loss to Pitt-Johnstown Saturday afternoon.
“If you can’t shoot you just can’t really be on the floor,” said Polak. “The game has changed. There aren’t too many pure ‘bigs’ out there anymore, and that’s something my dad always stressed, if you can shoot the ball, there’s a place on the court for you. I’m working on it day in and day out.”

And, despite dealing with a rash of injuries, California’s prospects for success in the PSAC tournament are good, Polak said.
The Vulcans (10-9, 5-6) currently sit in fifth place in the PSAC West behind Gannon (15-3, 10-0) and Slippery Rock (10-9, 6-5), Edinboro (9-8, 5-5) and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (9-8, 5-5).
“We’ve just got to keep taking it one game at a time, win each game that’s in front of us,” Polak said. “If we keep that mindset going throughout, I think it will take us pretty far.”
John is a copy editor and page designer at the Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at jsanta@unionprogress.com.