Joson Sanon arrives in Sun Devils 87-76 win over GCU

(Photo: Marina Williams/WCSN)

PHOENIX – Seven minutes and 33 seconds into Arizona State men’s basketball’s matchup with Grand Canyon at Footprint Center, freshman guard Joson Sanon missed a three-point jumper that would have extended ASU’s early lead over the Lopes.

It was Sanon’s last miss from beyond the arc for nearly 31 minutes of game time. Following his miss, the young star hit five consecutive threes on his way to a career night, announcing himself to the Sun Devil faithful in an NBA Arena that he hopes to play in one day.

Sonon’s five threes were the bulk of his 21 points, and he led the Sun Devils (3-1) to a statement 87-76 win over a GCU (2-1) team that won over 30 games and was favored by six points entering Thursday.

“Working with the guys all summer into the fall, I saw the potential of what they could do individually, and I think now doing it in a more cohesive way, in a more team way,” ASU head coach Bobby Hurley said. “You’re seeing the extra passes, the one more passes, and we’re sharing the ball and playing the right way.”

Thursday night marks the first time since 2019-20 that ASU has scored over 80 points in three consecutive games. A lot of ASU’s success is because, after being the worst power conference team shooting the three ball last season, the Sun Devils have looked like a team that can shoot from deep consistently.

ASU finished the game with 11 triples as a team, a number that Hurley identified as an ideal target each game for the roster he has built. Last season, ASU hit 11+ threes in just three games, representing just how much can change in one year.

“To get 11, I think that is kind of normal for us,” Hurley said. “I thought somewhere in that range we would be game in and game out if we play the right way.”

That’s what makes Thursday’s performance from Sanon so exciting for Hurley and the Sun Devils. In his time at ASU, Hurley had a clear style of play that he preferred to run. He wants lengthy wings that disrupt the defensive end, and he wants to generate open three-point looks on the open end.

Over past seasons, ASU has lacked the deep threat to make that vision a reality, but with Sanon leading the team’s three-point attack, that looks to change. In his four games as a Sun Devil, Sanon’s jumper has looked extremely clean and polished, and he has shown the ability to hit threes from multiple different angles and spots on the court.

In this game alone, Sanon had two pull-up jumpers from the elbow that were fading to his right, and his five threes saw him hit three catch-and-shoot jumpers, one pull-up three, and one step-back three.

“He’s playing with the ultimate confidence, and he’s such a good kid,” Hurley said. “When he gets in the zone like that, he’s virtually unstoppable because he can get to the basket. He can shoot right in your face. He can go up into the mid-range. We were trying to get him the ball as soon as he was in the game.”

Coming off the bench, Sanon flashed his potential as an NBA-level scorer, but that’s just business as usual.

“It’s normal, to be honest,” Sanon said about playing in an NBA arena. “I just hooped, (I) ain’t even gonna lie.”

Sanon’s performance wasn’t the only one that got ASU going on Thursday. Senior forward Basheer Jihad and senior guard Alston Mason finished with 18 and 14 points, respectively. Both players had good performances last week against No. 6 Gonzaga, and they continued the good play against the Lopes.

With scoring from both the veterans and the rookies, the Sun Devils have all of a sudden become a team with elite length that can hurt you from multiple different sources.

They can combine that senior presence that has been so crucial for the successful college basketball teams of the last few seasons with the elite potential and athleticism of rookies that emulates the one-and-done era of freshman dominance.

It might not be enough for ASU to compete in the ultra-tough Big 12, but ask anyone, and this looks like a whole different team then they did three weeks ago in Durham against Duke.

“I can’t believe how much better we’ve gotten in less than three weeks,” Hurley said. “To see what we’re doing, particularly on the offensive end, I think it has been a real positive.”