Bobby Hurley’s first season in Tempe was a lesson in peaking too early.
Arizona State sprinted out of the gate to a 10-3 record in non-conference play against a murderer’s row of opponents and actually positioned themselves nicely for a NCAA tournament berth. If they merely stayed afloat during the second half of the season, they could have gone dancing in March.
But no such luck.
Once conference play rolled around, the Sun Devils’ lack of talent, size, and depth became increasingly evident in the competitive Pac-12 conference, which sent a record seven teams to the Big Dance. ASU stumbled to the finish line en route to an 11th place finish in the conference and a first-round exit in the Pac-12 Tournament.
Hurley is optimistic this year’s group can improve from last season’s 15-17 mark, despite the fact ASU was recently picked to finish 11th this season by the Pac-12 media.
One possible advantage for the Sun Devils? They enter year two of the Hurley era as a bit of a mystery team.
Despite returning familiar faces like Tra Holder, Kodi Justice and Obinna Oleka, the Sun Devils will rely on a slew of newcomers this season, including transfer guards Shannon Evans and Torian Graham, as well as a top-20 incoming freshman class led by wing Sam Cunliffe.
With so many new faces on the roster, Hurley has used a variety of lineups in the preseason, trying to find a combination that gives him the best opportunity to be competitive. Despite the uncertainty of the rotation, one thing is crystal clear about this year’s squad: Their success will hinge on its guard play.
“I think we’ll be led by our perimeter,” Hurley said in his season-opening press conference. “I wouldn’t trade our perimeter with anyone in the country. I think it’s experienced, it’s productive and it’s proven.”
Backcourt
The Sun Devils will start a pair of high-scoring point guards -- juniors Tra Holder and Shannon Evans -- which should give them plenty of firepower in the backcourt. Despite being undersized (both are listed at 6-1), the duo is capable of playing on or off the ball and could be a potential matchup nightmare for opponents.
Holder, who led the team in scoring (14.2 PPG) and assists (3.7 APG), was one of the Pac-12’s most improved players last season. His shooting numbers, especially from three-point range, improved dramatically. He shot 36.6 percent from beyond the arc last year, a considerable jump from his 24 percent as a freshman.
In addition to improving his all-around game in the offseason, Holder has also embraced his newfound role as team leader.
“I just see the fire in Tra,” Hurley explained. “His competitive drive has improved. His leadership has improved. When his team doesn’t win a segment [in practice], you see the frustration. He was very quiet at times [last season], but he’s starting to be more vocal and lead our team.”
Last season the Sun Devils leaned heavily on Holder, who averaged a team-high 33.5 minutes per game in conference action. Not surprisingly Holder appeared to run out of gas by season’s end, and his production suffered as a result. Luckily he won’t have to carry the load by himself this season.
Evans, who sat out last season due to transfer rules, is expected to make an immediate (and significant) impact. He was an all-MAC performer two seasons ago at Buffalo when averaged 15.4 points, 4.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game. Evans, who has a close relationship with Hurley, decided to follow his coach to Tempe shortly after last April’s hire.
Relegated to the practice squad last season, the talented guard has been chomping at the bit and waiting for his opportunity to suit up for the Devils.
"He's like a volcano that's [been] building up,” Hurley said.
“That guy's got so much passion and energy and it was all bottled up last year. He did it on the practice floor and helped Tra get ready to play just by how good he was on the practice court, but the kid wants to play so bad. I think I'm going to have to calm him down the first few games especially because he's going to be so amped to play."
Evans’ offensive game is highly regarded, but his greatest value may actually come on the other end of the court, where he has a reputation of being a fierce on-ball defender. ASU’s perimeter defense left much to be desired last season, giving up way too many driving opportunities to opposing ball handlers. The hope is that Evans can anchor the Sun Devil’s front-line defense this season.
Another upperclassman expected to make a big contribution is junior guard Kodi Justice, who is the team’s best outside shooter. The 6-5 marksman led the team in 3-point field goals (60) and 3-point percentage (.400) last season. However he’s far from a one-dimensional player, and the coaching staff has been impressed with his improved all-around game in the preseason. Justice primarily played the point and off guard positions during his first two seasons at ASU, but look for him to play more small forward this year. In anticipation of the position change, he bulked up in the offseason and looks ready for the challenge.
A couple of newcomers, Sam Cunliffe and Torian Graham, have also made some waves this preseason.
Perhaps no recruit since James Harden has arrived in Tempe with as much hype and anticipation than Cunliffe, a 6-6 wing from Seattle. A consensus top-50 prospect in his class, Cunliffe has as much talent and athleticism as anyone on the ASU roster. He possesses great handles for a player his size, and can consistently score at all three levels. Perhaps more impressive has been the freshman’s tremendous work ethic, which has been on full display since his arrival to campus this summer. The coaching staff said he is a gym rat, who spends much of his downtime at the practice facility perfecting his craft.
Graham, who was also a highly touted prospect out of high school, has taken a much different (and somewhat rocky) path to Arizona State. Despite being a top-75 recruit in the 2012 class, the 6-5 wing has bounced around since graduating high school, and has yet to play a minute of Division-1 basketball. After committing to NC State out of high school, he failed to qualify academically and was forced to enroll at Chipola (Fla.) College, where he was arrested and suspended midway through his sophomore season.
He eventually signed with Houston but left the team weeks into the season for personal reasons. And then in January 2015, he joined Hurley at Buffalo but sat out because of NCAA transfer rules. Three months later, Hurley was hired by ASU, and Graham followed his coach to Tempe. However, as a transfer, he was again forced to sit out last year and spent the last two months of the season suspended for a violation of team rules.
With the troubles now behind him, it appears Graham has turned over a new leaf and is ready to make his mark at ASU. Hurley said he’s been one of the pleasant surprises of the preseason and is one of the team’s best three-point shooters. His athleticism and natural scoring ability will be a welcome addition to the Sun Devil lineup. He is an ideal sixth man who can provide instant offense off the bench.
Junior Maurice O’Field provides additional depth to the ASU backcourt. Last season proved to be a rough transition for O’Field, who transferred from the JUCO ranks. He played sparingly (7.0 minutes/game) and never seemed to be comfortable with the speed of the game. However, the coaching staff said the game has slowed down for him and he appears more at ease on the court. They are optimistic O’Field, an athletic 6-5 wing, can be a solid contributor off the bench this season.
Frontcourt
If the backcourt is the strength of this year’s team, then the frontcourt is the ultimate question mark. Unfortunately, the Sun Devil frontcourt took a hit before the season even began.
Top-100 recruit Romello White, who is arguably ASU’s most refined low post player, was ruled a partial qualifier by the NCAA. As a result, he must sit out this season as an academic redshirt. It’s a huge blow to the Sun Devils, who were expecting White to play a significant role—and possibly start—this year.
Another freshman, 6-9 forward Vitaliy Shibel, tore the ACL in his left knee during the summer, and must also sit out the upcoming season. Shibel, a stretch four, was not expected to play major minutes as a true freshman, but his absence certainly diminishes ASU’s frontcourt depth.
In fact, the only returning frontcourt player for the Sun Devils is senior Obinna Oleka. The versatile 6-7 forward was one of the pleasant surprises last season. After starting the year on the bench, Oleka eventually worked his way into the starting lineup, and by season’s end was the Sun Devil’s second best player. He averaged 11.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in conference play and scored in double digits in 13 of the last 16 contests. ASU will rely heavily on Oleka, who might be called upon to play the 3-through-5 positions this season.
In addition to Oleka, Hurley has a trio of freshman post players – Ramon Vila, Jethro Tshisumpa and Andre Adams—at his disposal.
Vila, a 6-8 forward from Spain, was a late signee (July) for the Devils. He arrives to Tempe with a reputation of being a skilled big man with a nice inside-out game. Vila was a member of Spain’s preliminary squad, which won the FIBA U20 Euro Championships this past summer. He had a monster game in the finals against Lithuania, posting 18 points and 14 rebounds. The coaching staff has been impressed with his approach to the game, and Vila appears poised to be in the rotation to start the season.
Tshisumpa, a four-star prospect and Rivals No. 110 prospect in the 2016 class, is an elite shot blocker and solid rebounder. A bruising 6-10, 260-pounder with an astonishing 7-6 wingspan, there is no doubt that he has a college-ready body. However, his defensive game is much further along than his offensive game, which is still work-in-progress. Originally from the Congo, Tshisumpa didn’t pick up basketball until a few years ago, so he is still learning the nuances of the game.
Adams, a redshirt freshman, returns to action after missing last season due to an ACL injury. (It was actually the second time he tore the ACL in his left knee). He’s been rehabbing for the better part of two years and is still not 100 percent. However, the coaching staff expects him to be available for the Nov. 11 season opener against Portland State. When healthy, Adams was an athletic 6-9 forward who could score, rebound and block shots. If he can return to his old form, it would be a big boost to ASU’s frontcourt.
Five storylines that could shape the upcoming season
1. Can small-ball be effective? – Don’t be surprised to see ASU play a lot of small-ball this season. “With Romello White being an academic redshirt it does change some of the direction of how we’ll play this year,” Hurley suggested. “We’re not as deep as I anticipated on the front line, so we’re doing something things that I might not have done in the past defensively to compensate [for the lack of size].”
Nothing is set in stone, but the Sun Devils used this starting five in last weekend’s “secret scrimmage” against Weber State: Oleka, Cunliffe, Justice, Evans, and Holder. This would allow Hurley to put his five best players on the floor regardless of position, which seems great in theory. The fact of the matter is it may also give ASU its best chance to win. With so many questions surrounding the frontcourt, Hurley may need to be creative to give his team a competitive edge.
When done effectively, the small-ball lineup has its advantages (more athleticism, ball handling and quickness on the court). However, there are also some potential drawbacks (rebounding and rim protection). At a minimum, it is an entertaining style of basketball that fans enjoy watching.
2. Oleka is the X-factor – With so much youth (and inexperience) in the frontcourt, the Sun Devils will need a monster senior year from Oleka. The coaching staff said they need him to do a little bit of everything this season: score, rebound, defend and play with energy. Although he’s capable of stepping out and hitting an occasional three, the staff would prefer that he did his damage in the paint. In a small-ball lineup, he may even be asked to play center.
Oleka has looked great in the preseason and could be one of the Pac-12’s breakout performers. He’s one of the hardest working players on the team, so you never have to worry about his effort.
3. Freshmen post players must exceed expectations – The Sun Devils need their freshmen, big men, to grow up in a hurry. Oleka will be a steadying force on the front line, but he can’t do it alone. Of the three post players, Vila has the most college-ready game. The coaching staff said he’s not a typical freshman, due in large part to his professional experience in Spain. As a teenager, he was often matched up against grown men, and as a result developed a tough edge. Although he’s not the most athletic player on the roster, Vila makes up for it with a high basketball IQ and solid fundamentals.
Although the staff is excited about the long-term potential of Tshisumpa, he’s probably a year (or two) away from being a major contributor. Look for him to get some spot duty here and there, especially when ASU plays opponents with taller frontcourts. However, it’s probably safe to say expectations should be tempered for his freshman campaign.
Adams is the big question mark. The staff loves his versatility and thinks he has a high ceiling, but they are also mindful that he has not played much 5-on-5 basketball over the last two years. It may take a while before Adams gets into playing shape. He is however, expected to play in tonight's exhibation game as well as next week's seaosn opener.
4. Another grueling non-conference schedule – For a second straight year, ASU will face a brutal list of opponents in the first two months of the season. Hurley has continually said that he is a staunch believer in playing the best competition, and this year’s schedule clearly reflects that.
In November, ASU travels to Orlando for the Tire Pros Invitational where they will play mid-major power Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals. The Sun Devils will play two additional games against a tough field that includes Xavier, Oklahoma, Clemson, and Missouri among others. The following week they travel to the Bahamas for a neutral-site game against preseason No. 2 Kentucky.
And it gets even tougher in December when ASU hits the road for another neutral-site game in New York City against No. 15 Purdue as part of the Jimmy V Classic. They have a true road game at San Diego State, who is projected to win the Mountain West Conference. The Sun Devils also have home contests against UNLV and No. 22 Creighton.
If ASU can survive this gauntlet with a respectable record and capture a few résumé-building victories, they would be in great shape heading into Pac-12 play.
5. Staying healthy is essential – With White and Shibel not available, ASU only has 10 scholarship players available this season. And with Adams still, not 100 percent, ASU is operating with a thin margin for error. Foul trouble, or even worse an injury, could potentially cripple the Sun Devils. For the most part, the team has remained relatively healthy during the preseason…but it needs to remain that way.
