Sophomore guard Jahii Carson looks to make his next move against UA defense at a home game on Feb. 14, 2014. ASU won against UA 69-66. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)Just days away from starting its new season, the ASU men's basketball team has a lot of questions to answer. The Sun Devils are bringing 10 new players to the roster.
In college basketball, there is a lot of turnover from year to year, but ASU lost more than most teams.
The losses have been well-documented. Jahii Carson, Jermaine Marshall and Jordan Bachynski, the top three scorers on the team last year, are all gone. The three combined for about 45 points per game, or 60 percent of ASU's offense from a year ago.
Coach Herb Sendek knows that change is a big factor in the sport and that each year is a different animal, but he was very candid about what this year's Sun Devils bring to the table.
"Every team is unique, so, for example, maybe what this team has to do would be different than what last year's team had to do," Sendek said. "But I think we have to be a team in every sense of the concept. We don't have any NBA draft picks right now on our roster. We have good players who have to make each other better on offense and are really going to have to play great team defense. I think that's as much a key as anything for us."
The most important player returning from the 2013-14 squad is senior forward Shaquielle McKissic, who won his appeal for another year of eligibility during the offseason. McKissic averaged nine points last season and started 26 of his 32 games a year ago. He said that he is going to make the most of his second opportunity, especially on the defensive end.
Senior forward Shaquielle McKissic shoots over the UA defense at a home game on Feb. 14. ASU won against UA 69-66. (Photo by Alexis Macklin)"It's a difference," McKissic said. "Last year, I was kind of a wildcard defensively, but this year I have to go and apply myself and study more tape and see guys' habits, and I feel like that's going to put me lightyears ahead of last year. I didn't know any terminology or any jargon as far as defensive-wise, but now I expect myself to take it to a whole (different) level."
Sendek said his team is improving on the defensive end in practice.
"I thought we made a lot of progress last week," Sendek said. "Over the course of the last week or so, we've taken a step back and we've really broken a lot of things down and put the spotlight on our technique and our fundamentals ... and I do think, ultimately, we can be a very good half-court defensive team."
Last season, ASU allowed 69.4 points per game, which was seventh in the conference and more than 11 points worse than rival UA, the best team.
Other key returners are senior forward Jonathan Gilling, who led the team in three-point shooting percentage, and junior forward Eric Jacobsen, who will try to fill in the huge shoes of Bachynski.
One of the main differences for McKissic is the departure of Bachynski, the Pac-12's all-time leader in blocked shots, from the post, but he feels like this team can make up for it in other ways.
"I think (the team) is different in the way that we don't have Jordan Bachynski at the rim, but I feel like we have some offensive guys who can come in and put the ball in the hoop, as well," McKissic said.
Last season, Bachynski ended three different ASU victories with clutch blocks, including an upset win over No. 2 UA in February at Wells Fargo Arena.
Sendek said that he believes that Jacobsen is developing into a very good interior player and cited his past successes, such as Bachynski.
"I really believe that Eric Jacobsen is on the same trajectory (as Bachynski or Jeff Ayres)," Sendek said. "He's an upperclassman now. He's in great physical shape. He moves very well for a young man his size. I can't say enough about his basketball IQ on both ends of the floor. He's really a smart player."
McKissic said the one word he would use to describe this year's team is "heart" and said that the lack of media belief in the team's ability motivates them, especially being picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12.
"You know, we've got a lot of fight," McKissic said. "The stance that we have going into this season, being picked ninth in the conference, I think it's more motivation every day in practice."
Sendek has seen that hunger from his players and sees the fact that they want to get better. He believes that the way they are right now shows that this team will be able to improve throughout the season.
"The one thing I love about this team is their character," Sendek said. "They're really good guys. They have a sense of humility. I think they're very hungry. The young guys are eager to listen to the old guys and learn. Everybody on the team right now has been exceptionally coachable. It's been a fun group to be in the gym with because they work hard, they have great energy and they want to be coached, and if you have that combination, that typically leads to improvement."
Reach the reporter at mtonis@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Tonis_The_Tiger
Like State Press Sports on Facebook and follow @statepresssport on Twitter
