Courtesy of Shawn Moran, Sun Devil Athletics' Feature Writer
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State women's basketball team is led by upperclassmen who have put together a 19-9 record heading into the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday. The 5th-seeded Sun Devils will need those star players to produce at their usual high level when they take on 12th-seed Colorado (12-17) squad that they have handled in both contests this season.
What else does this Sun Devil squad need in order for this edition to make a run at the Pac-12 title?
It starts with stellar play on the defensive side of the ball and consistency from their four contributing freshman: guards Taya Hanson and Jamie Loera alongside the frontcourt pairing of Iris Mbulito and Jayde Van Hyfte.
"They just need to be really consistent with their defense and rebounding because they're very talented offensively," said head coach Charli Turner Thorne. "We don't need them -- need them to score. But we need them to go in and play great position defense without fouling, be locked-in, and be prepared for their defensive minutes. If they can do that, I'm very excited for them."
Hanson has contributed meaningful minutes and hit some big shots in big-time moments. Averaging 14.2 minutes per game, the most out of the four freshmen, Hanson has encountered struggles as most freshmen do when transitioning into the college game. Unlike most freshmen, instead of allowing them to get to her head, Hanson is harnessing her woes and has been improving as the season progresses.
"It's not what I was hoping for, but that's just how it goes sometimes," Hanson said. "I want to take it, learn from it, and get better every day."
Her coach believes it is a matter of gaining experience and composure in the always tough Pac-12 Conference.
"It's a little bit of a novelty," Turner Thorne added. "She just has to relax in games because she shoots the heck out of the ball a lot in practice. In the gym shooting, she's lights out … I try to get her to focus on defense and rebounding, just things that she can control. Her coaches believe in her, her teammates believe in her, and I'm excited for her postseason."
Despite playing in just 11 games due to an early-season illness and midseason injury, fellow guard Loera has found a way to make her mark from beyond the three-point line. She has converted on 50.0% of her attempts from beyond the arc while averaging just over 10 minutes per game. A player whose line on the box score usually came paired with a heavy-dose of assists in high school, Loera adapted to her new role in the college game quickly.
"In high school, I had to make more of the things happen," Loera said. "In college, it's such a different level where I had to work on my passing but my shooting just got way better.
"[The college game] is a higher level. The physicality got higher, the IQ got higher, you play against people who are definitely smart in the game and you have to try and figure out a way to make yourself get up there too."
You do not need to tell that to Iris Mbulito. The versatile 6-foot-1 guard, who on Tuesday was named Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention, has found her niche this season as a consistent scorer and pesky defender. Averaging 12.4 minutes, Mbulito is fourth on the team in both steals and blocks while putting up a freshman-leading 4.3 points per game.
"I'm developing many things and also learning to play with my teammates," Mbulito said. "The whole team is new for me so it was tough at the beginning, but now I think we're doing great and I'm very happy to be here and serve my four years of college here with my teammates."
Coming off an MVP campaign for Spain at the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship last summer, Mbulito is ready to make an impact whenever her number is called.
"I don't have any problem with that," Mbulito said. "I don't care if I start the game or come off of the bench. If Charli comes to me and I'm going to be in an important moment in the game, that's great, but I don't care if I start. I just want to support my teammates and help them on the court."
The same goes for Van Hyfte, a four-time Illinois AP All-State selection and owner of most of the record book at Annawan High School. In 25 games this season, Van Hyfte has made the most of her opportunities on the court and leads the team with a field goal percentage of 60.0%.
"Coming in, I knew that this was a talented group of girls and minutes would be limited, which I'm fine with because this is my freshman year and I'm learning how to do everything," Van Hyfte said. "It's really interesting from that perspective, to where I was at in high school, but I'm definitely enjoying this year."
In what all of the girls described as a "growing year", the four Sun Devil freshmen have shown great potential and serve as the foundation for the future. In the meantime, a trip to Las Vegas and the Pac-12 Tournament await this well-rounded Sun Devil squad.
"However this plays out, however far we go and what we do, I know they'll be some great lessons," Turner Thorne said. "Up until now I think they've learned a lot about what it takes to compete in the Pac-12 conference day-in and day-out, how good it is, and what a grind it is. That's the biggest thing freshmen get out of their first year."
In the upcoming Pac-12 Tournament, against a high level of competition this quartet of girls is excited to face, Hanson seemed to sum up the thoughts of the freshmen girls' best.
"I'm just enjoying this process and seeing where this journey takes us."
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State women's basketball team is led by upperclassmen who have put together a 19-9 record heading into the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday. The 5th-seeded Sun Devils will need those star players to produce at their usual high level when they take on 12th-seed Colorado (12-17) squad that they have handled in both contests this season.
What else does this Sun Devil squad need in order for this edition to make a run at the Pac-12 title?
It starts with stellar play on the defensive side of the ball and consistency from their four contributing freshman: guards Taya Hanson and Jamie Loera alongside the frontcourt pairing of Iris Mbulito and Jayde Van Hyfte.
"They just need to be really consistent with their defense and rebounding because they're very talented offensively," said head coach Charli Turner Thorne. "We don't need them -- need them to score. But we need them to go in and play great position defense without fouling, be locked-in, and be prepared for their defensive minutes. If they can do that, I'm very excited for them."
Hanson has contributed meaningful minutes and hit some big shots in big-time moments. Averaging 14.2 minutes per game, the most out of the four freshmen, Hanson has encountered struggles as most freshmen do when transitioning into the college game. Unlike most freshmen, instead of allowing them to get to her head, Hanson is harnessing her woes and has been improving as the season progresses.
"It's not what I was hoping for, but that's just how it goes sometimes," Hanson said. "I want to take it, learn from it, and get better every day."
Her coach believes it is a matter of gaining experience and composure in the always tough Pac-12 Conference.
"It's a little bit of a novelty," Turner Thorne added. "She just has to relax in games because she shoots the heck out of the ball a lot in practice. In the gym shooting, she's lights out … I try to get her to focus on defense and rebounding, just things that she can control. Her coaches believe in her, her teammates believe in her, and I'm excited for her postseason."
Despite playing in just 11 games due to an early-season illness and midseason injury, fellow guard Loera has found a way to make her mark from beyond the three-point line. She has converted on 50.0% of her attempts from beyond the arc while averaging just over 10 minutes per game. A player whose line on the box score usually came paired with a heavy-dose of assists in high school, Loera adapted to her new role in the college game quickly.
"In high school, I had to make more of the things happen," Loera said. "In college, it's such a different level where I had to work on my passing but my shooting just got way better.
"[The college game] is a higher level. The physicality got higher, the IQ got higher, you play against people who are definitely smart in the game and you have to try and figure out a way to make yourself get up there too."
You do not need to tell that to Iris Mbulito. The versatile 6-foot-1 guard, who on Tuesday was named Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention, has found her niche this season as a consistent scorer and pesky defender. Averaging 12.4 minutes, Mbulito is fourth on the team in both steals and blocks while putting up a freshman-leading 4.3 points per game.
"I'm developing many things and also learning to play with my teammates," Mbulito said. "The whole team is new for me so it was tough at the beginning, but now I think we're doing great and I'm very happy to be here and serve my four years of college here with my teammates."
Coming off an MVP campaign for Spain at the FIBA U20 Women's European Championship last summer, Mbulito is ready to make an impact whenever her number is called.
"I don't have any problem with that," Mbulito said. "I don't care if I start the game or come off of the bench. If Charli comes to me and I'm going to be in an important moment in the game, that's great, but I don't care if I start. I just want to support my teammates and help them on the court."
The same goes for Van Hyfte, a four-time Illinois AP All-State selection and owner of most of the record book at Annawan High School. In 25 games this season, Van Hyfte has made the most of her opportunities on the court and leads the team with a field goal percentage of 60.0%.
"Coming in, I knew that this was a talented group of girls and minutes would be limited, which I'm fine with because this is my freshman year and I'm learning how to do everything," Van Hyfte said. "It's really interesting from that perspective, to where I was at in high school, but I'm definitely enjoying this year."
In what all of the girls described as a "growing year", the four Sun Devil freshmen have shown great potential and serve as the foundation for the future. In the meantime, a trip to Las Vegas and the Pac-12 Tournament await this well-rounded Sun Devil squad.
"However this plays out, however far we go and what we do, I know they'll be some great lessons," Turner Thorne said. "Up until now I think they've learned a lot about what it takes to compete in the Pac-12 conference day-in and day-out, how good it is, and what a grind it is. That's the biggest thing freshmen get out of their first year."
In the upcoming Pac-12 Tournament, against a high level of competition this quartet of girls is excited to face, Hanson seemed to sum up the thoughts of the freshmen girls' best.
"I'm just enjoying this process and seeing where this journey takes us."