PHOENIX – The descent of Arizona State men’s basketball to the bottom of the Big 12 continues with its 86-73 loss to Oklahoma State on Sunday. In the absence of senior guards BJ Freeman and Adam Miller, ASU had to go deep in its bench. Head coach Bobby Hurley tried anything to salvage the game in Stillwater, even throwing in his son, senior guard Bobby Hurley Jr., for the most minutes of his career at 16 minutes, which he fouled out. However, the answer might’ve been the return to glory by freshman guard Joson Sanon.
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Feb 9, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Joson Sanon (3) shoots the ball during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Gallagher-Iba Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Sanon used to be a massive part of the Sun Devils’ offense early in the season. The Massachusetts native had a six-game streak of scoring 18+ points, averaging 19.6 points on 55.4% shooting from the field on 12.3 shots a game. His play led ASU to start the season 10-3, but soon his role diminished significantly.
After a 19-point performance against San Diego, Sanon would go eight straight games with single-digit points with only one game shooting more than 10 shots. Hurley possesses a talented roster of experienced transfers who came to Tempe for a bigger role, which meant Sanon taking a backseat.
Jan 11, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Joson Sanon (3) reacts in overtime against the Baylor Bears at Desert Financial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
With the absence of Freeman and Miller, the freshman finally had another opportunity to start his fourth game of the season against the Cowboys. Sanon dropped 17 points in a season-high 34 minutes. His shooting percentage wasn’t efficient, shooting 25% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc.
Regardless of the shooting woes, he led the Sun Devils in the second half, scoring 13 points and cutting the deficit to single digits. Sanon was dynamic with the ball, getting to the rim with ease and drawing contact. In any game that Sanon has gotten to the free throw line, he has scored double-digit points. His raw athletic ability as a freshman makes him an intriguing prospect for years to come.
ASU guard Joson Sanon (3) drives against Iowa State guard Keshon Gilbert (10) during a game at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Jan. 25, 2025. Syndication: Arizona Republic
The pairing of Sanon and fellow freshman 17-year-old center Jayden Quaintance could be a stellar one-two punch in Tempe for the future. Sadly, the current state of college basketball doesn’t benefit patience, as the transfer portal has made player’s desire for more playing time a top priority over building continuity.
If Hurley can keep Sanon and Quaintance in the valley, it’ll be a huge step to rebuilding the program next year with the current season in a tailspin.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
