SB Nation User Blog: C.W.

Sparky's Notes: July 3rd News and Notes

C.W. — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:30:01 -0000

Not much is happening these days in Sun Devil land, as school is out for the summer, and all sports have wrapped up their postseasons.

ASU is being advised by AZCentral.com to check out these 5 recruits...

Kicker Thomas Weber has, once again, been named a Playboy All-American, despite his mediocre 2008 campaign.

Jeff Pendergraph will be playing on the Blazers' summer league team this July in Las Vegas.

Finally, I answered a very long Q&A from Welcome To Loud City, the Oklahoma City Thunder blog here at SBNation. You can read the entire interview about James Harden following the jump.

1. Thunder fans have been hearing a lot lately about James Harden's talents, but we haven't heard much else about him. Could you shed any light on what kind of a person, or teammate he is?

James Harden is a strong team player, giving his supporting role players plenty of opportunities to showcase their talents. His passing abilities are extremely understated, and I believe that his vision on the court will translate very well into the NBA, where his teammates will all be more athletic than he is.

He's a relatively quiet person, and I have never seen him out at social functions, parties, or formals. While I have seen other ASU athletes partaking in the school's revered party scene, Harden has remained focused on basketball.

2. What are the best parts of Harden's game?

Unselfishness. Court vision. Tenacious on defense when the moment calls for it. He scores in bunches, utilizing his left hand to great effect. Fact of the matter is, Harden's handedness allows him to go places that most players would rather not go.

Defenses struggled with his craftiness during his freshman season, but by the midway point of his sophomore campaign, players were wise to his tendencies, and caught onto the angles they needed to take against James.

3. Are there any recent prospects that have come out of college, or any current NBA players, that would be relatively comparable to Harden?

Harden's an up and coming talent, and I believe his best work is still forthcoming. That said, the common comparison is Brandon Roy, but I'm not necessarily buying it. I like to compare him in some ways to Gilbert Arenas.

Harden's handle is not of Arenas' caliber, but with practice and a sincere desire to succeed, Harden could achieve a Scottie Pippen-like status, where his talents perfectly complement the superstar that is Kevin Durant.

4. Harden was a 5-star recruit coming out of high school. He was recruited by many top programs. Do you know what made him choose Arizona State over the other programs, especially after the Sun Devils went 8-22 the year before he arrived?

ASU Coach Herb Sendek knew he wanted James Harden from the second he stepped onto the Tempe campus. The Sun Devils were mediocre at absolute best, having but one serviceable player in Jeff Pendergraph.

In order to lure a top prospect from California into the desert, Sendek had to be very resourceful. He began by bringing in Harden's head coach, Scott Pera, as an assistant coach for the Devils. Next, he gave the unheralded Derek Glasser a scholarship to play point guard. Glasser, at the time, was planning on becoming a walkon at USC, but Sendek knew what he had to do.

Harden was then faced with a very attractive situation: his former head coach, and his former point guard were waiting for him at Arizona State. In my mind, there wasn't much discussion about the matter, and Harden went where he would be very, very comfortable. It was Sendek's commitment to Harden that brought Harden's commitment to ASU.

5. It's difficult to gauge defensive ability for a prospect coming out of college, unless you've seen him play a lot. We're aware that Arizona State played a lot of zone defense, but is Harden a good defender?

The guy can envision the offense he is guarding against, and makes the proper adjustments. Can he shut down Dwayne Wade? Absolutely not, not yet. I have seen him make great defensive plays against very adequate Pac-10 competition, from steals to help defense that stopped easy baskets from being converted.

I doubt he will be a great defender, but he's a hard worker, and I wouldn't put it past him to be a valuable asset on both ends of the floor.

6. Does Harden have a favorite shot - a shot that he seems to put up more often than others during the game?

This is tricky, because the defenses gave him the three pointer more and more as the season went on. He can hit the three, but unfortunately for you (and the next question) his 35.6% from long distance may not transfer particularly well to the next level as a rookie.

7. The Thunder need another player to stretch the defense - a perimeter threat. What is Harden's range and how is his perimeter game offensively?

With hard work, he can become this threat. He's not Michael Redd, but he's well rounded. I can't say for certain that he has any type of shot that impresses scouts or pundits any more than another, but he goes strong to the basket and has been working on his midrange game.

From three, in time I believe he will attain a 35% average, with a possibility for 37-38%. His shot just isn't there yet.

8. Someone on a scouting site described Harden as "business on and off the court". Would you say that's accurate?

As I mentioned earlier, I have never seen him as a particularly outgoing person. He is reserved and enjoys to let his game speak for himself. There has never been a negative story about Harden on ASU campus, and he studies the game. Herb Sendek did a good job with him, and I believe he will be prepared for camp.

9. A big knock on Harden is that he disappeared in the NCAA Tournament. Would you have any idea why that happened?

Temple and Syracuse knew their mission: shut down James Harden. That was the memo sent out across this great nation, the briefest scouting report known to man. ASU is notoriously thin at all positions, with Harden the sole exception. Pendergraph cannot lead a team to win a NCAA Tournament game, but he's a solid big man.

Against Temple, if it weren't for Glasser, ASU would have dipped out in the first round. Harden has had trouble developing a move that is unstoppable, and the defenses of the NCAA have learned that over the course of advanced scouting during the season.

On the other hand, we have no idea if Harden was going through any type of personal troubles during the NCAA Tournament. I certainly hope this is not the case, but we can never rule out that, considering he is still just a young man.

10. Obviously the Thunder have some other talented young players. How does Harden work to complement his teammates on the court?

Passing. Even with the talent he played with in Tempe, Harden dished the rock. With great young players such as Jeff Green, Harden will find himself distributing the ball and finding his own game amongst the core of talent you currently have.

11. What makes Harden special enough to be drafted in the top 5?

There's a lot of players that could have deserved that title, but Harden's game is so sound, and his body is NBA-ready. He shed 15 pounds after the season ended in preparation for NBA tryouts, and he has potential tattooed across his forehead.

He's not a guarantee to become a superstar, because he plays a deliberate style of basketball that is not flashy, and can at times be uninspiring. But he makes his teammates better, and with great young players around him, he will live up to the billing of a "Top 5" talent.

12. Let's say there's a Thunder fan out there that's skeptical of Harden. Maybe they wanted Rubio or Curry. You have at most three sentences to catch their interest in Harden. What would you say?

Harden scored 20 points a game, shooting 50% from the field while leading his team nearly singlehandedly to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He brings out the best in his teammates, and can see plays as they develop, which may lead to highlight reel dunks for Mr. Durant.

13. How do Arizona State fans feel about Harden going to Oklahoma City? Would it have been any different if he had gone to any of the other teams in the top 5?

ASU fans are excited to see him get drafted ahead of Ricky Rubio. We knew what we had all along, and we're very sad to see him go. But to play with Durant and Green? That will be something exciting to watch, and I will check up on him frequently to assess his progress.

14. Finally, any funny or cool stories about Harden that you know from his time at Arizona State? (It could be something that's common knowledge, like something that happened during a game, but something that Thunder fans wouldn't know)

Against UCLA in Los Angeles back in January, Harden knocked down a pair of free throws as regulation drew to a close to bring the game to overtime.

Harden and ASU played an incredible brand of defense during this game, holding UCLA scoreless for 13 minutes, a span that stretched from regulation partly through the 5 minute overtime period.

In the end, Harden led the team to the huge upset victory, 61-58. He dropped 24 points, and this win put ASU on the map as a legitimate squad in the Pac-10.

Best of luck in 2009-2010 with James. He is a true talent, and will serve you well.

James Harden Goes Third Overall to OKC; Jeff Pendergraph 31st to Sacramento, Traded to Portland

C.W. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:57:24 -0000

Pretty big surprise, but Harden is a quality pick. Check back here for a summary of our coverage of James Harden over the past season, Thunder fans.

Jeff Pendergraph went 31st, and was quickly packaged to Portland for Sergio Rodriguez and the 38th overall pick.

Back in the 2009 Pac-10 Championship game, I sat in the Staples Center and followed Harden's every move against USC, and here is the article. It is very long, but you need to read it to get a grip on how the college game had adjusted to Harden's deliberate style of play.

Daniel Hackett definitely had Harden's number, and I can imagine he will need some time to develop against the superior defenses seen in the NBA.

Realistic Destinations for James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph, NBA Draft Edition

C.W. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:30:18 -0000

More photos » by Wilfredo Lee - AP

Where will James Harden end up?

Browse more photos »

As many of you know, Washington and Minnesota pulled off a fairly significant trade this afternoon, with the Wizards sending their #5 pick, Etan Thomas, Darius Songalia and Oleksiy Pecherov for Randy Foye and Mike Miller. It is now official: Minnesota owns the 2009 NBA Draft, holding the 5th, 6th, 18th, and 28th picks.

It is theorized that the Timberwolves would like to upgrade to the 2nd overall by packaging the 5th and 18th picks, but right now it appears as though Minnesota would do very well for themselves by holding onto their plethora of pickables.

Why, do you ask? Because the draft is chock full of intrigue and possibilities for an openminded GM with the cajones to make tough decisions and look for the big reward.

Imagine the possibilities.

1. Clippers- Blake Griffin

2. Grizzlies- Hasheem Thabeet

3. Thunder- Ricky Rubio

4. Kings- Tyreke Evans

5. Timberwolves

6. Timberwolves

Quite a few talented players left on the market, wouldn't you agree?

Minnesota has quality bigs (Al Jefferson and Kevin Love), but based on the trade of Foye and Miller, is lacking some depth at the wings and running the point.

Why not draft James Harden? He can be immediately slotted into the starting five, giving you minutes of consistent play. With the next pick, why not give him someone to run with (either Brandon Jennings, Stephen Curry or Jrue Holiday). Ideally, Minnesota would pick up Harden and Curry, acquiring two very talented college veterans and some seasoned NBA vets in return for Foye and Miller.

At 18 and 28, it's not out of the question to see the Timberwolves filling their front court even further by drafting Harden's college cohort, Jeff Pendergraph. It makes more sense to fill out the backcourt even further by picking up Ty Lawson/Wayne Ellington, or a PG like Teague from Wake Forest.

Most NBA squads don't overfill their rosters with rookies, so a pick like Nick Calathes would make excellent sense for the 'Wolves at #28. He will be in Greece next season, so let him develop while your core matures stateside.

In the end, where will our ASU alums go?

Harden: Minnesota

Pendergraph: I may be crazy, but I foresee a Oklahoma City Thunder pickup at #25 overall in Jeff's future.

Either way, expect updates on Thursday when their names come off the board.

GameThread: ASU Leads Texas 3-0 in the 2nd Inning of the College World Series

C.W. — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:47:28 -0000

Texas just committed a passed ball error, allowing ASU to score another run from third.

Then, McDonald drives in Torrez with a single to right field.

Lets talk about the game! Sign into your account and give us your insights.

GO SUN DEVILS!

Sun Devils Take Care Of Business, Beat UNC 5-2 in College World Series

C.W. — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:23:39 -0000

The entire week, Pat Murphy was very secretive regarding his choice of starting pitcher for ASU's first game in Omaha against North Carolina.

It turned out that going against the grain and starting his #2 pitcher paid dividends for the Sun Devil skipper.

Josh Spence went seven strong innings, proving to be a dependable option even against the top competition of the Tar Heels, who looked stymied at the plate against the crafty left hander from Australia.

ASU scored 4 runs in the tenth inning, putting together just enough offense to survive a very tough matchup. Kole Calhoun hit an incredibly clutch home run to put the Devils up for good. UNC was able to add a run in the bottom of the tenth, but that was all they would muster on the day.

Coach Murphy played the lineup card close to his chest, hoping to keep UNC guessing right up until the first pitch. While many expected Mike Leake, the 8th overall selection in this week's MLB Draft, to toe the rubber for ASU, the unorthodox strategy has given ASU a great chance to go far in Omaha.

Spence, despite being injured for two months this season, was able to come back last weekend and help deliver the knockout punch against Clemson in the Tempe Super Regional.

Mitchell Lambson pitched three quality innings in relief for the #4 Sun Devils (50-12), earning his ninth win on the season, but his first College World Series victory.

Raoul Torrez had been struggling coming into the College World Series, but the captain's tenacious baserunning put UNC on their heels. Torrez went 2/3 with a walk.

For the Tar Heels, their superstar Dustin Ackley, the second pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, went 2/5 but was struck out by Lambson in the bottom of the 9th to push the game into extra frames.

All in all, this was an excellent performance by our young team, who played like they truly wanted to win and leave their mark in Omaha.

With the win, ASU will play the winner of Texas/Southern Mississippi on Tuesday.

Dexter Davis and Mike Nixon are Preseason First-Team All Pac-10

C.W. — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:35:48 -0000

ASU's Davis and Nixon Named Preseason First-Team All-Pac-10 by Lindy's

In all, eight Sun Devils honored with preseason conference honors.

TEMPE, Ariz.--Arizona State University senior linebacker Mike Nixon and senior defensive end Dexter Davis have been named to Lindy's 2009 Pacific-10 Preseason All-Conference Team. Six other Sun Devils were honored with second-team preseason All-Pac-10 honors. Senior wide receiver Chris McGaha, senior offensive lineman Shawn Lauvao, punt returner Kyle Williams and junior placekicker Thomas Weber were named to the Offense Second-Team. Sophomore defensive lineman Lawrence Guy and defensive back Omar Bolden were given Defense Second-Team accolades.

This is promising for our defense. Mike Nixon has been invaluble at the linebacker position since his enrollment.

To read our exclusive interview with Mike Nixon from February, click here. He is a great leader for our team, and has a lot of interesting things to say.

Anywho...

On another note, this girl goes to ASU and is in this Karaoke contest, she sounds pretty good. We like to keep you up to date here at the House.

We're Going To Omaha! ASU Beats Clemson 8-2, Advances to College World Series

C.W. — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:24:25 -0000

What a great game by Josh Spence! A complete game performance sealed the Super Regionals for the home team, and Clemson went home after being swept out of the valley. ASU won, 8-2.

ASU is playing like a well-oiled machine, with the 1-2 hitters getting on base and setting the table for the rest of the lineup.

I was so glad to see him back on the mound for the Sun Devils. Even without the experience of last year's team, with a one-two punch of Mike Leake and Josh Spence, ASU has a great shot at bringing home another title to Tempe.

Jason Kipnis, Kole Calhoun and Matt Newman each had two RBIs for the Sun Devils, who improved to 49-12. They have won 16 of their past 17 games.

Spence (9-1) required a heat pad in the early going for a back strain he suffered in last week's regionals, but the Clemson hitters were doing the most wincing while trying to solve the savvy and unpredictable lefty.

"I don't think he started anybody off with the same pitch back-to-back," noted Tigers first baseman Ben Paulsen, who fanned twice.

Spence said his go-to pitch was his slider, adding that his hand isn't bothering him any more.

ASU will play North Carolina (47-16), the No. 4 seed, either Saturday or Sunday. The Tar Heels swept East Carolina in their super regional earlier Sunday.

We will have a breakdown of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the coming days, so check back for more CWS coverage right here.

Breaking Down The Clemson Tigers, Super Regionals Edition

C.W. — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:51:21 -0000

The Sun Devils take the field tonight at Packard Stadium to play the Clemson Tigers, a team with a 44-20 record.

How did they get to Tempe? In a word, determination. With their backs up against the wall in their own stadium, they took home 3 wins in a row to win their regional, including a two-game sweep of Oklahoma State, a team that had beaten Clemson once already in this very same regional.

What kind of offense do they have? Clemson scored 31 runs in the final three games of their regional. Their former cleanup hitter, Kyle Parker, has been mired in a slump, but he was able to deliver in a pinch-hitting situation to help bring the regional title to the Tigers.

Should we fear the Tigers? Did we fear Fresno State in 2008? Fortunately, the Sun Devils are deep and well coached, but the Tigers are playing well and are hungry for a victory in Tempe.

Numbers of note:

Clemson is 10-9 on the road, while having a very respectable 31-9 record at home.
ASU, in the same vein, is a whopping 34-4 in Tempe, and 10-6 on the road. Naturally, the home crowd is a big factor, and ASU has a very strong following.
Their best hitter, Ben Paulsen, is hitting .369 with 13 HRs and 60 RBI.
Jason Kipnis is hitting .387 with 15 HR and 69 RBI. Not only that, but Carlos Ramirez has stroked 18 home runs in 2009.
Clemson has a strong bullpen, with 3 relievers toeing an ERA of 2.05 or less.
Clemson runs out two starters consistently: Casey Harman (7-3, 3.78) and Chris Dwyer (5-5, 4.85). Their numbers do not impress me. Good luck against Leake, boys.

House Of Sparky Prediction: ASU takes it in two. Sweep!

ASU To Host Super Regional (Again)

C.W. — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:19:50 -0000

After going undefeated in the Tempe Regional this past weekend, ASU has earned the right to play Clemson on Saturday night in the Tempe Super Regional.

It's a best of three series, with the winner earning the right to travel to Omaha to play in the 2009 College World Series. Saturday's game is slated to begin at 6 PM, with the first pitch on Sunday at 7 PM. If necessary, there will be a 4 PM tilt on Monday.

Check back tomorrow for a breakdown of the 2009 Clemson Tigers season, and what we will need to do to beat them.

Big Night For The Ballers; Baseball and Softball Active in NCAA Play

C.W. — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:53:08 -0000

After beating Kent State 17-6 last night at Packard Stadium, the ASU baseball team takes the field tonight at 7 PM to play Oral Roberts. Oral Roberts was victorious last night as well, beating Cal Poly 13-3.

ASU softball, on the other hand, is in a bit of a pickle. They have gone 1-1 in the College World Series, and will most likely play Alabama tonight in an elimination game. ASU is the defending champion, but I don't think anyone will be able to touch Florida.

Especially after losing a heartbreaker yesterday to Washington (1-0 in 8 innings), ASU will be looking to come out and make a statement tonight. Unless Arizona makes a miracle comeback right now (they are losing 10-0 in the 2nd inning), the Crimson Tide will be playing again tonight.

Check back here later for game recaps and other information. Go Devils!