It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. It was scintillating, and it was frustrating. It was equal parts memorable, and equal parts forgettable.
In a nutshell, that describes Arizona State’s 2017-18 season.
It started off with a bang (as we’ll explain later), but ultimately, the Sun Devils fizzled out during the home stretch, losing six of their final seven contests, including their First Four matchup in the NCAA Tournament against Syracuse.
The Sun Devils finished the season with a 20-12 record, which marked the first winning campaign in the Bobby Hurley era. And although some may focus on the team’s late-season struggles, it’s worth noting very few, if any, pundits projected ASU to make the field of 68 prior to the season.
The team’s turnaround—and ascent into the national consciousness—was a year ahead of schedule. Although improvement was expected from the previous season’s 15-18 record, an NCAA Tournament appearance, only the program's second such feat this decade, seemed unlikely, and for that reason, this season should be remembered as a pleasant surprise.
Perhaps more importantly, this breakthrough season could signal a turning point in ASU’s basketball program, which has experienced more misfortunes than triumphs.
Looking back at the season, here are five storylines that defined ASU's 2017-18 campaign:
1. Historic start to the season
It’s probably safe to assume nobody—maybe with exception of ASU’s coaches and players themselves—thought the Sun Devils were capable of their red-hot start. And yet, the team reeled off a school-record 12 straight wins to open the season, eclipsing the previous mark of nine set by the 1980-81 squad.
ASU began the year with four straight home wins, including a dominant 22-point victory over San Diego State, an eventual NCAA Tournament team. However, it was a trip to Sin City over Thanksgiving weekend that served as the team’s coming-out party.
The Sun Devils beat Kansas State and Xavier, ranked No. 15 at the time, on consecutive nights en route to capturing the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. It marked the first time ASU had won a tournament championship since the 1994 Maui Invitational.
If that wasn’t impressive enough, the Sun Devils traveled to Lawrence two weeks later to square off against No. 2 Kansas. In their signature performance of the season, ASU dropped 95 points on the Jayhawks and won by double digits.
The victory propelled the Sun Devils up the polls – all the way to the No. 3 spot, which tied a school-record for the highest ranking in program history. In fact, the last time ASU had been ranked that high Alton Lister, Byron Scott and Fat Lever were sporting the maroon and gold.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to end, and the Sun Devils dropped their first game of the season at Arizona in the Pac-12 opener. However, ASU can always claim that they were college basketball’s final undefeated team of the 2017-18 season…even if they only held the title for a few hours.
2. “Guard U’ captivates the college basketball world
When the Sun Devils came out for pregame warm-ups before the Kansas game, the players were donned in maroon shirts with gold letters that read “GUARD U” across their chest. The self-coined moniker would create a buzz that reverberated throughout college basketball.
The marketing slogan was fitting, and made sense at the time. ASU was piling up wins left and right, and at the center of their early-season success was the play of its guards: seniors Shannon Evans, Tra Holder and Kodi Justice, along with freshman Remy Martin.
Holder, who was ASU top scorer with 18.2 points per game was on several All-American mid-season watch lists. The outgoing senior was a first-team All-Pac 12 selection and has put himself in a good position to advance his career moving forward.
Evans, who paced the teams in assists (112) and steals (44) was a relentless competitor and led ASU is 3-point field goals made with 95, as well as free-throwing percentage posting a .853 mark.
Justice led the Sun Devils in 3-point field goal percentage with .381 and the proverbial heart and should of this team.
Martin may go down as one of ASU’s biggest recruiting “steals” in the program’s history. Despite being the point guard on the same high school team that featured Duke’s freshman All-American and future NBA Top-3 pick, Marvin Bagley III, Martin was overlooked by several programs. His contributions off the bench were vital for his team and he had the team’s best assist to turnover ratio (2.19)
The quartet played an entertaining, free-wheeling style that resonated with the fans and media. At times, their play resembled a mixtape more than a college basketball game. Whether it was a no-look pass, off-balance layup, or nifty ball handling, ASU’s guards seemed to have a flair for the dramatic.
However, there was plenty of substance to their game as well.
In non-conference play, the guards were the catalysts behind one of the most potent offensive attacks in college hoops. Through 12 games, ASU was among the nation’s leaders in point per game with 91.8 per contest. They shot nearly 51 percent from the field, including 39.9 percent from 3-point range.
When the offensive was in rhythm—as it often was during non-conference play—it was a thing of beauty. Eventually conference play rolled around, and Pac-12 foes were able to slow down ASU’s high-octane offense, but for the first two months of the season, “Guard U” was the talk of college basketball.
3. Inconsistent play from ASU’s frontcourt
Heading into the season, ASU’s frontcourt had a combined total of one year’s worth of experience at the Divison-1 level – and that belonged to redshirt sophomore Mickey Mitchell who had to sit out the first eight games as a midseason transfer. As a result, the Sun Devils had to rely on a host of newcomers to anchor its frontcourt, which produced mixed results.
Redshirt freshman Romello White and junior De’Quon Lake, a junior college transfer, did an admirable job early in the season, when ASU was limited to seven players. White, a strong 6-foot-8 post player, displayed a refined offensive game around the basket, while the 6-foot-10 Lake affected both ends of the floor with his length and athleticism. Some expected Lake to experience the steep learning curve that junior college transfers often experience, but along with Martin the forward usually delivered productive minutes off the bench.
Both players had their moments in conference play as well, but didn’t seem to have the same type of impact against Pac-12 foes. White, for example, averaged 10.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game overall for the season, but in Pac-12 play those figures dipped to 8.3 ppg and 6.5 rpg.
Shibel, a redshirt freshman who missed the previous year with an ACL injury, started 22 games for the Sun Devils this season. He was in the starting lineup due in large part to his reputation as an outside shooter, and ability to spread the floor for the guards. However, he rarely looked comfortable during his rookie campaign, and never quite lived up to his reputation as a knock-down shooter (he shot only 25 percent from beyond the arc). You can make the argument that his best basketball is still ahead of him and that this past season can provide him valuebale experince that can help him this year.
Midway through the season, ASU’s frontcourt got some reinforcements when Mitchell became ineligible and freshman Kimani Lawrence returned from a foot injury that he suffered a day before the season opener. Like the other frontcourt players, both showed flashes of their talent and versatility at various points in the season. This upcoming season when both will be in the rotation from day one, this tandem will be expected to make a bigger impact on the floor.
However, as a collective group, the frontcourt struggled with inconsistency throughout the season, which proved to be too much to overcome.
4. The collapse in Pac-12 play
As historic as the non-conference season was for ASU, the Pac-12 season was equally unremarkable. After rattling off 12 straight wins in non-conference play, the Sun Devils failed to muster a .500 record in Pac-12 action. They finished with an 8-10 mark in conference play, which isn’t terrible in most seasons, but considering the Pac-12 had a down year, it was widely considered a disappointment.
The team’s struggles were likely a combination of a few things. First and foremost, opposing coaches had more time and game film to prepare against ASU, and it was quickly evident that one of the best ways to slow down the Devils’ attack was the zone defense. And not surprisingly, as the season progressed, opponents deployed some form of zone against ASU.
Another thing happened in Pac-12 play: ASU’s torrid shooting cooled off considerably. Early in the season, the Sun Devils continually took (and made) difficult shots. They weren’t always high-percentage looks, but the players were given a lot of freedom in Hurley’s offense and thrived in a system where they had the autonomy to jack up a 25-foot shot.
Fortunately (or not), the Sun Devil players carried that mindset into conference play, but the same shots were now missing the target. After shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc in non-conference play, the Sun Devils only connected on 33.7 percent of their 3-point attempts in Pac-12 action.
An additional thing to consider: Hurley had to integrate two players (Mitchell and Lawrence) into the rotation. Initially, their presence seemed like a blessing since Hurley only had seven players at his disposal early in the season. However, there were some built-in benefits with a short rotation. Everyone had defined roles, and there were plenty of minutes to go around.
When the two forwards returned to action, however, it became trickier for Hurley to juggle his lineup. It seemed like he could never figure out the correct combination when his rotation increased to nine players.
5. First NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014
By virtue of the late-season collapse, the Sun Devils found themselves firmly on the bubble heading into Selection Sunday. Many pundits thought ASU should be left out of the field of 68, while others thought they had done enough in the non-conference portion of the schedule to earn an at-large bid.
The uncertainty surrounding ASU’s postseason fortunes created a stressful environment at the Hurley household, where the team gathered to watch TBS’s, Selection Show. Hurley and his players anxiously waited for the at-large bids to be unveiled one by one. And when they heard their name called, the house erupted with elation and an impromptu pool party ensued.
It marked the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2014, and only the third in the last 15 years. Their stay in the tourney was short-lived, however, as the Sun Devils lost 60-56 to Syracuse in a thrilling First Four matchup.
Nonetheless, merely making the field of 68 was critically important for ASU’s program. An NCAA Tournament appearance, albeit a brief one, strengthens the claim that the Sun Devils could be a Pac-12 power in the coming years. It also happened a year earlier than most people expected, and the accelerated timeline can only help Hurley and his staff, especially on the recruiting trail.
In his three years on the job, Hurley has done a tremendous job of bringing elite talent to Tempe, and with additional recruits already committed for future classes, ASU certainly appears to be a program on the rise.
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Looking Ahead
At first glance, one might think the loss of Evans, Holder and Justice would cripple the Sun Devil roster—and rightfully so. The trio accounted for 57 percent of the team’s scoring, 63 percent of the assists and nearly 84 percent of the three-point field goals made this season. More importantly, they provided leadership and stability in a locker room that lacked experience.
And yet, there’s reason to be optimistic for next season.
One can make a strong argument that next year’s roster will be even more talented…at least on paper. The Sun Devils return a solid core of players, and add a top-25 recruiting class and two high-level transfers to the mix.
While last season we saw ASU incorporate an offense that utilizes his post players more that Hurley’s first two season, it was still a scheme that naturally utilized the strength of its personnel, and was dependent on its jump shots. This coming season, you can certainly make the argument that the wings and frontcourt players will have to carry this team, and we should see a style of play that will feature more points in the paint and a true inside-out game. The presence of more balance between the guards and forwards should bring lower percentage of shots attempted from three-point range.
Even though ASU is losing three key seniors, the overall experience level and position balance on the team will elevate. Players such as Martin, Lake, Mitchell and Lawrence who for various reasons didn’t play significant minutes on a game to game basis the season will now get ample opportunities to showcase their talent and be an integral part to any measure of success ASU could enjoy. The transfer players, both of them perhaps penciled as starters, are plenty hungry and motivated to stamp their talent on this squad and together with a bevy of returning players and talented newcomers ensue that this upcoming season begins on a much better note than the last season ended.
Frontcourt
Barring an unexpected departure, the entire frontcourt will be back next year. ASU returns two starters in forwards Romello White and Mickey Mitchell, although the latter could come off the bench next year. White is arguably the most complete low-post player on the Sun Devil roster but faded late in the year. Another offseason to improve his conditioning and defense could pay major dividends. Mitchell, a versatile forward and perfect “glue guy,” is capable of playing multiple positions and could play a similar role next season.
Don't be surprised to see Lake take a big step in his development during his second season in Tempe. With exceptional length, athleticism and shot-blocking ability, he has the potential to a breakout player for the Sun Devils. Another player primed to assume a bigger role next season is Lawrence, who should be fully recovered from his foot injury. Shibel should add quality depth to the Sun Devils’ bench.
The two additions to ASU’s frontcourt, Zylan Cheatham, and Taeshon Cherry, arrive with high expectations. Cheatham, a freakishly athletic 6-8 combo forward, sat out this season after transferring from San Diego State. There’s a good chance he’ll be in the starting lineup on opening night, and he should make an immediate impact with his rebounding and defense, two areas of concern this past season.
Cherry is a four-star recruit and currently ranked No. 33 in the 2018 class by Rivals. He is a versatile 6-8 forward who can play inside or out and should be an ideal fit for ASU’s system. His outside shooting should spread the floor, and give the Sun Devils an added dimension in their half-court offense. Simply put, the forward can be a program changer for ASU the minute he steps on the floor.
Cherry, who signed his Letter of Intent with the school on April 14th, will be counted on to make substantial contributions from day one. "Taeshon will make an immediate impact with his versatile offensive skill set and relentless motor,” said Hurley following Cherry’s signing, “but most importantly winning is what he values the most. Sun Devil Nation will enjoy watching one of the best frontcourt players in the 2018 class in Maroon and Gold next season."
Backcourt
The only returnee in the backcourt is point guard Remy Martin, who was named the Pac-12’s Co-Sixth Man of the Year last month. After playing behind the three senior guards this year, Martin is expected to run the show next season for the Sun Devils. He had a sensational rookie campaign, and he’ll be expected to shoulder a much heavier load next season. However, Martin should have plenty of help in the backcourt.
Shooting guard Rob Edwards, a transfer from Cleveland State, will be eligible after sitting out this season. The coaching staff is expecting the 6-foot-4 guard to make an immediate impact on both ends of the floor. Edwards was named to the 2016-17 All-Horizon League second team after he averaged 16.1 points per game. His physicality, perimeter defense along with his natural scoring ability should prove to be a significant asset for the Sun Devils. He’s more than capable to soften the potential blow created by the departure of the three senior guards.
The Sun Devils also add incoming freshman Luguentz Dort, a physical 6-4 guard from Canada. The staff considers Dort a combo guard, who is capable of playing on or off the ball. He has a college-ready body, and with his impressive athleticism, he is expected to be a contributor from day one. Rivals does not rank international prospects, but the network's national basketball analyst Corey Evans told Devils Digest that Dort would be ranked in the 25-35 range.
Elias Valtonen, a 6-6 wing from Finland, is a four-star prospect that signed with ASU last November. Valtonen has a reputation for being a knock-down shooter from deep, with deceptive athleticism and playmaking ability, as well as a high basketball IQ. The staff thinks he could eventually be a long-term replacement for Justice, who played with a similar style on the court.
Additions to the Roster?
There’s a good chance the Sun Devils add a player (or two) in the offseason. The staff has expressed interest in adding another post player and guard to the mix.
In regards to the potential post player, one name has surfaced in recent days. Uros Plavsic, a 7-1 center from Serbia, received a visit from Hurley on Friday. Plasvic plays his prep ball at Hamilton Heights Academy in Tennessee, and recently re-opened his recruitment after backing off from his initial pledge to Cleveland State.
As of now, the Sun Devils have been linked to a couple of backcourt players. The first is Brandon Williams, a four-star point guard from California. He became one of ASU’s top targets after he decommitted from Arizona last month. Williams, who recently took an unofficial visit to Tempe, is considered one of the top available high school prospects. He is currently ranked No. 37 in the 2018 class by Rivals.
Another name that has emerged in recent weeks is guard Matt Mooney, a grad transfer from South Dakota. Mooney, a two-time All-Summit League selection, is considered one of the top options in the transfer market. He averaged 18.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists this past season. As a grad transfer, he would be immediately eligible to play next season.
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