Arizona State Team Report

GETTING INSIDE

With James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph as cornerstones of his team a year ago, coach Herb Sendek pretty much knew what to expect, not only on game nights but in practice.

Both are gone now, and Sendek is taking a different tact in preparation.

“A big key for me is to see what is there every day, and try not to have all the questions answered before you can answer them,” Sendek told the Arizona Republic.

“I used to think that was preparation. You know what I’m saying? Like right now, if I were really prepared I’d have everything mapped out. ‘Here’s what we’re going to run. Here’s what we’re going to do in this situation.’

“I’d have this perfectly laid out plan, and I used to think that was preparation. Now I almost think instead of preparation, that’s more jumping to a conclusion, and something I would like to do even a better job is just seeing. Seeing what’s there and then responding to reality rather than responding now to what I think might be reality.”

The Sun Devils will continue to play their sticky zone defense, but Sendek is likely to tweak the offense a bit. Without Harden, expect fewer pick-and-rolls, and more balance from a team that may essentially play four-out, one-in.

Even without the club’s two high-profile stars, ASU has plenty of experience, starting with senior point guard Derek Glasser. Ty Abbott and Jamelle McMillan both provide quickness at shooting guard, and Rihards Kuksiks cannot be ignored beyond the 3-point arc.

A strong freshman class is certain to get opportunities to eat up the minutes created by the departures of Harden and Pendergraph.

NOTES, QUOTES

• ASU’s 25 victories last season were the most by the Sun Devils since the 1974-75 season.

• The Sun Devils allowed just 60.5 points per game last season, fewest by an ASU team since the 1949-50 season.

• Junior wing Rihards Kuksiks buried 93 3-point baskets last season, hitting 44.3 percent from beyond the arc. Only Stevin Smith has made more 3-pointers in a season for the Sun Devils. Kuksiks made at least two 3-point baskets in 25 of ASU’s 35 games.

Last Year:   25-10 overall, 11-7 in Pac-10; lost in second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Head Coach:   Herb Sendek (career 308-203); fourth year at Arizona State (55-45).

Quote To Note:   “We have two really, really good players to replace. There’s no way our team is going to be exactly the same as last year when you take those kind of guys away. But one of the exciting parts of college sports is you always have a new beginning.”—ASU coach Herb Sendek on the loss of James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   Freshman Demetrius Walker, described five years ago by Sports Illustrated as “the next LeBron,” is a 6-4 super-athletic wing player. He is healthy after offseason knee surgery. Ruslan Pateev, a 7-foot freshman from Moscow, Russia, may eventually earn the starting job this season. Trent Lockett, a 6-5 wing from Minnesota, arrived on campus last May, returned home for high school graduation ceremonies, then was back after the weekend. He will be in the mix to play. PF Victor Rudd brings frontcourt athleticism, and SG Brandon Thompson is a perimeter-shooting specialist.

Key Early-season Games:   The Sun Devils will stay in Tempe for much of their non-conference schedule, starting with a Nov. 13 season-opener vs. Western Illinois. But they hope to reach the second week of the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament in New York City, where they could draw Duke in the semifinals. UConn and LSU also loom large in the bracket. ASU takes on Baylor at home (Dec. 3) in the Big-12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, and ventures to BYU (Dec. 8).

Program Direction:   ASU figures to slide back toward the second division of the Pac-10 after the loss of All-American guard James Harden to the NBA. But there is good depth and experience, and Herb Sendek’s teams will be competitive simply because they play so hard defensively. In June, ASU opened its new practice facility, the $23 million Weatherup Center, which will only boost recruiting.

Probable Starting Lineup:   PG Derek Glasser, SG Ty Abbott, SF Rihards Kuksiks, PF Victor Rudd, C Eric Boateng.

Roster Report:  

• PG Derek Glasser enters his senior season with 393 career assists, well within reach of ASU’s school record of 454, set by Bobby Thompson (1983-87).

• Junior SG Ty Abbott, who converted just 25.5 percent from the 3-point arc through ASU’s first 30 games, came alive to make 9-for-17 over the final four outings, helping the Sun Devils wins three of them. Abbott shot 35.3 percent from behind the arc as a freshman.

• Coach Herb Sendek had three verbal commitments from 2010 recruits by mid-October, led by five-star PG Keala King of Compton, Calif. Also expected to sign with ASU in November are 7-foot-2 C Jordan Bachynski of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, and SG Corey Hawkins of Goodyear, Ariz.