Although ASU's men's basketball players did not share in the glory of participating in the NCAA tournament this past season, they were nevertheless rewarded for their off-the-court efforts.
Junior forward Shawn Redhage and sophomore forward Justin Allen were both named to the Pac-10 All-Academic team last week. Redhage received first team honors with a 3.44 grade-point average in construction management, while Allen earned an honorable mention with a 3.31 mark in justice studies.
"I am excited and proud of those guys because (academics) are very important to me and to my staff," said Sun Devil head coach Rob Evans, who did not know of the selections until late Monday afternoon when returning home from the Final Four in Atlanta. "Those guys worked extremely hard and it's not an accident they received it. They spent a lot of time and burned a lot of midnight oil."
To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and must be either a starter or significant contributor. For Redhage, the Pac-10 All-Academic honor marks the second consecutive year in which he has won the award. His 3.44 GPA ranks second in the conference behind Washington State senior forward J Locklier, who turned in a 3.68 GPA in education administration.
After enrolling in 15 credit hours last fall, Redhage is taking 12 this spring. He lightened his load when conference play began to avoid the possibility of becoming overorked.
"You're fatigued after practice and have to have discipline to come home and get your studies done. Time management is huge," said Redhage, whose team recorded a 2.6 GPA last semester. "I know basketball isn't going to be there for the rest of my life. I need something to fall back on."
All players are required to attend study hall for a certain number of hours every week. Most practice roughly 25 hours per week during the season in addition to spending about 10 hours on schoolwork.
Evans also keeps his players on their toes by meeting with each of them on a daily basis. He discusses academics, personal life or anything else they feel comfortable talking about.
"It's important for me to know what I can do to help those guys," said Evans, who learned the importance of quality time at a young age when growing up with six siblings. "I've got to know what's happening on a daily basis to be able to help them."
Along with the fourth-year Sun Devil head coach, Shay Jewett, ASU's coordinator of academic accounting, also makes sure the players stay on task. She meets with all of them at least once a week and also stays in contact with their instructors and academic advisors.
With Jewett's help, Allen maintained a 3.23 GPA in back-to-back semesters when fighting his battle against Hodgkin's Disease during ASU's 2000-01 campaign. Allen missed several classes when undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments, but still found success while sticking to a prescribed academic plan.
"(The treatments) made him sick and extremely tired," Jewett said. "It was pretty amazing he was able to put together enough energy to complete the classes at the level he did."
Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@asu.edu.
