ASU Basketball: A Progress Report After the First 3 Games

Arizona State Basketball is now 3-0 after defeating the Cornell Big Red on Tuesday night in front of 4,595 fans at Wells Fargo Arena.

They will get the next couple days off for the Thanksgiving holiday and then travel to Las Vegas on Friday to complete in the Continental Tires Las Vegas Invitational. They will face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Friday night at 5 p.m. MST at the Orleans Arena.

The following game will be quite a bit more taxing as both possible opponents; the Wisconsin Badgers and Creighton Blue Jays are nationally ranked.

We have seen the ups and downs already of Coach Sendek's team and it is time to grade the players and the team as a whole.

Position: Forward/Guard

Height: 6' 6"

Weight: 197

Year: Senior

Carrick Felix has started all three games and is averaging 30 minutes per contest. He is averaging 10 points and six rebounds per game.He leads the team with 10 steals including a career-best four against Cornell on Tuesday night.

While his offensive numbers are not spectacular, it is his ability to compete on defense that really makes Felix stand out as a player and a leader.

Grade: B- 

Position: Guard

Height: 5' 10"

Weight: 175

Year: Freshman

Jahii Carson is becoming the player that Sendek knew he could be all along. Through three games, he is leading the team in points and assists. Carson is averaging 30.7 minutes a game with 18.7 points and 5.3 assists.

He has a knack for getting fouled as well, with 27 trips to the charity stripe already, Carson is quietly adding to his point totals.

It doesn't hurt that he is also 4-of-9 from three-point territory with two super shots against Cornell on Tuesday night. With the exception of the one shot Kenny Martin attempted and made against Florida A&M, Carson is leading the team in three-point percentage with .444.

GRADE: A

Position: Guard

Height: 6' 2"

Weight: 185

Year: Senior

Colvin is embracing the sixth-man role and doing great things from the bench. Averaging 24 minutes per contest, Colvin is third on the team in total points scored with 34 and average points per game with 11.3. He trails only starting point guard Jahii Carson in total assists with 11.

On the defensive side of the ball, he has puled down 12 boards and seven steals.

He is a dynamo and the necessary spark when the starters need a breather or some time to collect themselves. Colvin is a clutch sixth-man and does what needs to do in the time allotted.

GRADE: B+

Position: Forward/Center

Height: 6' 10"

Weight: 245

Year: Freshman

Eric Jacobsen is slowly taking over the backup center position for senior Ruslan Pateev although I am not sure why. Averaging 11 minutes per game to Pateev's six, Jacobsen isn't as impressive as his Russian counterpart, in my eyes at least.

In nearly twice as much playing time as Pateev, he has 10 points, seven rebounds and one block in comparison to Pateev's eight points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Grade: C-

Ruslan Pateev Grade: C+

Position: Guard

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 187

Year: Junior

The starting shooting guard is taking a lot of shots and is sixth on the team in scoring. Something needs to change, either increase his ability to make the baskets or stop taking as many. With the most attempts from the field and from beyond the arc, his percentages are abysmal at .212 and .190 respectively.

His free throw shooting is among the tops on the team hitting 9-of-12 and his assists (seven) and steals (nine) totals are admirable but he obviously needs to work on his accuracy.

I had incredibly high hopes for Gordon coming into this year after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer regulations. The brother of NBA pro Eric Gordon, he was a standout at Liberty University.In his first three games at Arizona State, the only thing that stands out are his atrocious shooting percentages.

Grade: C 

Position: Center

Height: 7' 2"

Weight: 250

Year: Junior

The "Blocking Canadian" has been incredible these past three games. Bachynski leads the team in rebounds with 30 and has an insane amount of blocks with 22. That is double what the rest of the team has combined.

He has been just shy of a triple-double for two of the last three games and is currently tied for eighth all-time in career blocks.But he doesn't stop there, he is second on the team in points scored with 39 and field goals made with 15.

Jordan Bachynski is a big time player that can carry the Sun Devils deep into the season and the future.

Grade: A 

Position: Forward

Height: 6' 7"

Weight: 215

Year: Sophomore

This is going to be Gilling's stand-out season. Although Carson and Bachynski will be stealing most of the spotlight, the "Great Dane" will be the soul of this team and the glue that keeps it all together.

The workhorse averages over 35 minutes a game and leads the team in 3-pt attempts and shots made. He is rarely fouled and is a sharp-shooter hitting 3-of-4 from the line.

Gilling is a monster on defense as well, averaging nine rebounds per game as well as four blocks and five steals.

He is fourth on the team in points scored with 33 and has tallied seven assists as well.

A true all-around player that measures well in all areas.

Grade: A-

The starting trio of Jahii Carson, Jordan Bachynski and Jonathan Gilling are all straight A students in my book. Unfortunately, basketball is not a an individual sport.

With newcomers Carson and Gordon, the team has not gelled completely and it is imperative of their most senior players, Carrick Felix and Chris Colvin to be the court generals that bring them all together.

With Bachynski and Gordon as juniors, Gilling and Bo Barnes as sophomores and Carson, Jacobsen and Kenny Martin as freshmen, this team is going to be solid in the future, but as of right now, they are experiencing some growing pains and getting through the awkward getting-to-know-you phase. 

I see them doing well this year, but just not well enough to compete in the ultra competitive Pac-12 Conference. 

Overall Grade: B-