It's been less than a month since ASU men's basketball coach Herb Sendek was hired, and his office is still as bare as when he first arrived -- except for a bottle of wine in the corner.
"Someone sent me a bottle of wine, so I think I'll keep it for a special occasion," Sendek said.
That occasion may have come sooner than expected as Jeff Pendergraph -- an all-Pac-10 Freshman Team selection last season -- confirmed he would return to ASU for his sophomore season.
Pendergraph had expressed uncertainty about returning to the Sun Devil program after former coach Rob Evans' dismissal on March 10.
"I wasn't really thinking about where I was going to go or where I'd end up," Pendergraph said. "I was just upset at Coach Evans' exit. But I think our team is going to be a lot better now that Coach Sendek's around."
Pendergraph made his decision after an informal meeting with Sendek after his hiring on April 1.
"We had a long conversation. I wanted to get to know Coach [Sendek] and get a feel for how he was," Pendergraph said. "If I didn't have a good feeling about the coach, I wouldn't have stayed."
Pendergraph scored 10.9 points per game last season and averaged a team-high 6.1 rebounds.
"As an incoming coach, I couldn't think of a better guy to help us get our feet on the ground," Sendek said. "I just felt an immediate connection with Jeff. I find him so easy to like -- he is mature beyond his years."
Pendergraph said Sendek's commitment to recruiting made his decision easier, and evidence of that commitment is showing after just three weeks on the job.
Eric Boateng, a freshman center from Duke, was on campus Friday after recently announcing he would leave the Blue Devils' program.
Boateng was a McDonald's All-American for St. Andrew's School in Delaware during the 2004-05 season. He would become the Sun Devils' third McDonald's All-American if he decides to call ASU his new home.
ASU is the only school Boateng has visited thus far.
With the departure of Chad Goldstein and Craig Austin, Serge Angounou and Pendergraph are the only returning forwards who saw significant action last year.
Pendregraph said any help down low would be beneficial.
"It would be nice if there was another big man at the post," Pendergraph said. "Double teams on me wouldn't be as evident."
Pendergraph said he expects ASU to improve from last season, which could help put his name on the map.
"Winning does make it a lot easier to get that national spotlight," Pendergraph said. "People aren't going to talk about a player on a losing team."
Reach the reporter at james.schmehl@asu.edu.
Online Editor's Note: Forward Jeff Pendergraph had an informal meeting with ASU men's basketball coach Herb Sendek after his hiring on April 1.
Photo courtesy of ASU Media Relations
