By
Joel Welser
Despite losing their last five contests
and eight of their last ten, it was a relatively successful
season for Arizona State. A winning record and a trip to the NIT
is not too bad of a season to work off of for the Sun Devils.
Unfortunately, the major talent is heading out of Tempe. A group
of new players will have to make a huge impact for the Devils in
order for Rob Evans’ squad to have a chance at repeating last
year’s accomplishments.
Who’s Out:
Instead of wearing buttons saying “I Like Ike,” Sun Devil fans
will be sporting buttons stating “I Miss Ike.” Ike Diogu, the
ninth overall pick in the NBA Draft, averaged 22.6 points and
9.8 boards as a junior last year. It’s not easy to replace those
type of numbers and Diogu’s presence under the basket. The
backcourt duo of Steve Moore and Jason Braxton held the team
together. Moore averaged 12.2 points and 2.3 assists while
Braxton averaged 5.4 points and a team high 3.6 assists during
their senior campaigns. A group of transfers could have played a
bigger role this season but will continue their careers
elsewhere. Tim Pierce had the most potential to see a drastic
increase in minutes. Pierce averaged 3.0 points and 1.6 rebounds
in 21 contests as a freshman. Keith Wooden only played in eight
games before opting to play at Wichita State. Forward Wilfred
Fameni played in 23 games, averaging 1.8 points and 1.3
rebounds.
Who’s In:
The incoming talent has potential to make an immediate impact,
and the Sun Devils really need them to do just that. Shooting
guards Antwi Atuahene and Seketoure Henry could become the much
needed scoring threats for ASU. Atuahene has some experience
playing last year Trinity Valley (TX) Community College. The 6-3
Atuahene is another quality player coming out of the Toronto
prep scene and should have plenty of opportunity over the next
three years to become a big force in the conference. Henry has
great range but can be extremely streaky. If he’s on it will be
trouble for the opposition, but if not, Henry could find himself
a spot on the bench until his shot develops some consistency. A
trio of power forwards will add some nice depth to the
frontcourt. Jeff Pendergraph has potential. His skills aren’t
great overall but he’s athletic for a 6-9, 225 pound player and
should improve his overall game and gather plenty of quality
minutes. Bruno Claudino has struggled with injuries while
playing at the College of Southern Idaho the last two seasons.
When healthy, the 6-8, 215 pound Brazil product is a solid post
player. Sylvester Seay will be given an opportunity to play some
quality minutes as a freshman, mostly out of necessity, but the
6-9, 200 pound forward is quite versatile and a solid prospect.
Also making his debut for the Sun Devils is Chad Goldstein who
will be eligible in December after redshirting last year.
Who to Watch:
This is Kevin Kruger’s team. As a sophomore
last year Kruger averaged 11.0 points and 3.4 assists per game,
which makes him the returning leader in each category. Kruger is
everything you want in a point guard. He can pass, his range is
exceptional and he is a smart floor leader. Now he just needs
somebody to pass it to and ASU can get out of the Pac 10 cellar.
Projected Conference Rank:
Anything but 10th place would be great.
Expectations have never been so low and Coach Rob Evans’ job is
on the line. We’ve seen teams in the past (Minnesota and Georgia
Tech come to mind) lose their star player and rally around the
team concept and have great success with little expectations.
Thus, there is hope, people of Tempe. A newcomer in the
frontcourt or returnees Craig Austin and Allen Morill really
need to step up, because this projected starting five is too
small to compete day in and day out in the Pac 10. Bryson
Krueger is a wing player, not somebody who should be asked to
fill in at the four spot.
Projected Post-season Tournament:
none
Projected Starting Five:
Kevin Kruger, Junior, Guard, 11.0 points
per game
Tyrone Jackson, Senior, Guard, 3.6 points
per game
Antwi Atuahene, Sophomore, Guard, DNP last
season
Bryson Krueger, Junior, Guard, 6.7 points
per game
Serge Angounou, Sophomore, Forward, 8.1
points per game
