I don't think there's a legitimate chance for ASU to win the PAC 10 next season. There's no doubt that Harden is a very smart and skilled player, and Pendergraph will be one of the better big men in the conference, but they are still quite a few pieces away from having a team capable of winning the conference. Sendek has that team moving in the right direction, but USC, UCLA and Arizona will all have better collective talent than ASU next season despite their losses. On any given night ASU could beat any of those teams, but I don't think they can do it enough to finish on top of the standings.
I haven't seen any video of Rhode or Coy, so who knows what ASU is getting there. If they are going to surprise people and really compete for the championship, I think at least one of those freshmen, along with Boateng, are going to have to make big contributions for the frontcourt. The shooting could get a little better on the perimeter, but unless Pendergraph gets some help down low they'll be limited. That said, I do think they can finish as high as third, which is something I think ASU fans should be happy about for the time being.
|
