ASU sophomore point guard Antwi Atuahene has had options every prep basketball player dreams of, but they weren't for him.
Canadian-born Atuahene was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school in Toronto, but spent his first year of college basketball bouncing around three different junior colleges in Michigan, Iowa and Texas.
Atuahene had opportunities to play for traditional basketball powerhouses Kansas, Illinois, Connecticut, Texas and North Carolina State. He said none were the right fit.
"I was holding out for the best situation," he said. "I was looking for a position where I could step in and play big minutes, but I didn't see that in a lot of those schools."
Atuahene's patience is paying dividends for ASU.
He has displayed an all-around game, averaging nearly eight points, five assists and four rebounds in conference play this year. But his contribution on the court goes beyond tangible box scores.
"Antwi is a very tough guy," freshman center Jeff Pendergraph said. "You know when he steps on the court he's all about business."
The transfer guard is proving to be court savvy with a propensity to take care of the basketball, ranking third in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio. Atuahene said the Pac-10 gives him a chance to play a more up-tempo style, likely the pace he'll see tonight at No. 14 UCLA.
"I've always wanted to play in the Pac-10 because growing up my favorite player was Jason Kidd," he said. "I pretty much pattern myself after him."
At 6 feet 4 inches and 210 pounds, Atuahene has a similar build to his favorite player and has shown glimpses of Kidd's flashy playmaking abilities.
But like Kidd at this stage of his career, Atuahene struggles from the perimeter. He is shooting 38 percent in nine conference games and is 1-for-9 this season from 3-point range.
"Anytime you're a guy like him who is strong and can get to the basket, it's something you never really worry about," ASU coach Rob Evans said. "As he continues to develop his midrange game he's really going to be a tough matchup."
Atuahene played sparingly early in the season, but burst into the spotlight in his second start with a 21-point, six-rebound, four-assist effort in a 67-53 loss to Oregon on Jan. 12.
He solidified his role by willing the Sun Devils to their only Pac-10 win this season against Oregon State two days later.
In the final 30 seconds of overtime in a 63-63 tie, he penetrated inside and banked home a runner in the lane with eight seconds remaining.
Atuahene preserved the victory when he blocked the Beavers' last-second shot attempt as time expired.
"I thrive on those pressure situations because as a point guard, leadership-wise, you have to be able to bring your team through adversity," he said.
For a transfer in his first season, Atuahene's transition has been smooth.
"He's coming out of junior college, so he's still learning on this level," Evans said. "It's a growth process for him, but he's starting to mature a little more and has been getting better every basketball game."
Reach the reporter at derrik.miller@asu.edu.
