After a lackluster start to the game, the Sun Devils found their footing and exploded for 50 second-half points, the second time they did so this season. 19 of ASU's 90 points in the 90-53 win over San Diego came from freshman guard Joson Sanon, who made five of ASU’s 12 three-point baskets. Head coach Bobby Hurley continues to have his best scorer come off the bench, and Sanon has now scored 19 points in his third straight game just days after winning tournament MVP at the Acrisure Classic.
“I know people get hung up on who’s a starter, but he’s basically a starter,” Hurley said. “I think within two and a half minutes, he was in the game, and that’s going to be the new norm. I don’t know who’s going to come out, but someone will because I need him in the game, so he’s going to be in the game a lot.”
His ability to come off the bench and instantly ignite the offense helped the Sun Devils to the resounding win over San Diego. The 37-point victory was the largest margin of victory since 2023 in the NCAA tournament when ASU beat Nevada 98-73. Once Sanon started to find his shot, the rest of the team followed. After starting the game 6-21 from the field, the Sun Devils shot 22 of 36 for the rest of the game, including shooting 64% in the second half.
“I’m just trying to win,” Sanon stated. “If I’m open, I’m shooting it, to be honest. Coming off the bench gives me an opportunity to see the floor before I go in. If the starters mess up here and there, I won’t try to come in and make the same mistake. It gives me more freedom when I’m out there.”
Over the last six games, Sanon has scored a total of 117 points (19.5 ppg) and grabbed 25 rebounds (4.2 rpg). During that span, he is shooting 41-74 (55.4%) from the field and 20-34 (58.8%) from beyond the arc. He is now averaging a team-best 15.9 points per game this season.
While Sanon displays his offensive talent more often than not, he’s also stepped up on the defensive side. After taking defensive assignments against talented guards in Palm Springs during the tournament, he had a highlight reel block, ricocheting a layup off the glass. Sanon is always devoted to defense.
With his offense already unstoppable at times, improving his perimeter defense could catapult him as one of the best dual-threat freshmen in the nation. His NBA draft stock continues to rise every time he steps on the court, and he will have the opportunity to play against some of the best players in the country once conference play begins.
“I focus on defense first, then my offense comes second,” Sanon expressed. “That’s one thing I did well in high school. I would get some chase-down blocks here and there a lot.”
It’s hard to talk about an ASU freshman without mentioning Sanon or freshman forward Jayden Quaintance, who continued to dominate the painted area with five more blocks and is third on ASU’s list of freshman blocks record. His 32 blocks are tied for the most of any player in the nation
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On Tuesday night, he was just one rebound away from his third double-double of the season, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds. Even when the Toreros at times thought they had an open layup, Quaintance appeared out of nowhere to send the shot into oblivion or the stands on a night when ASU recorded ten team blocks.
Even when he doesn’t get a hand on the ball, his presence alone is enough to deter opposing players from coming within 10 feet of the hoop, forcing the offense to work along the perimeter. That method was unsuccessful for the Toreros, shooting just 2 of 19 from three.
“I was kind of in awe seeing it,” Hurley mentioned. “It’s something I could maybe do on an eight-foot hoop, and it’s scary with his timing and instincts. When you have someone on your team who can do stuff like that, it demoralizes your opponent a little bit and intimidates them. That’s what makes him so special.”
Quaintance’s play on the defensive end leads to easy offense at times, as he’s started to develop that side of his game more in the three games played in the past week. He now has four games in double figures this season, using his body around the rim to throw it down over anybody that challenges him. But for the time being, he continues to lead the country in blocks with 32.
“It’s crazy,” senior forward Basheer Jihad voiced. “I’m amazed at it almost every game, honestly. He has a great feel for getting blocks, and it just comes out of nowhere. Ever since the preseason at practice, we saw how amazing he is at it.”
Although Quaintance and Sanon are the two freshmen who receive the most attention, freshman forward Amier Ali rounds out the trio, making plays that don’t always show up on the stat sheet. From his effort on defense to keeping the ball moving, Ali contributes to winning basketball, and that’s all a coach can ask for at times.
Ali is still finding his footing in college basketball but is still holding his own when he’s on the court. With three more games and a month until conference play, the young freshman will continue to grow into his game.
“I liked that they were in the game together,” Hurley added. “It coincided with a really good stretch that we had on both ends of the floor, so that was nice that we had the opportunity to get Amier involved with JQ and Joson. Amier impacted the game in a number of different ways. He didn’t really shoot it great, but he did some other things well.”
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