It has been a busy offseason for the ASU women’s basketball team. From losing seven players to gaining eight new players in the offseason, the Sun Devils are looking to come back stronger and collect more wins.
To promote their off-season changes, the Sun Devils held an open practice on Saturday, Oct. 12, generating positive energy from both the players and the coaching staff. Additionally, donors, season ticket holders and supporters had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the new-look team.
"To be able to open up practice, to talk about the season, for them (spectators) to see the new faces, for them to see familiar faces," head coach Natasha Adair said. "It was about the energy in the gym, the countdown to Nov. 4, it was just more importantly about reconnecting with our fans and our supporters, and them getting a sneak peek of the team."
Adair is entering her third year as head coach, and one of her goals is to reinvigorate the team's competitive nature and return it to winning ways.
Last season, the Sun Devils went 11-20 and fell short in the first round of the 2024 Pac-12 tournament. With the addition of new players, the Sun Devils have higher expectations heading into its first season in the Big 12 Conference.
Forward Kennedy Basham transferred from the University of Oregon to play for her hometown team, the Sun Devils. This past season, she averaged 4.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game when appearing in 31 games for the Ducks. Basham brings versatility and defense to the frontcourt.
“These are some girls I wanted to come play with,” Basham said. “We have a really good foundation here and a really good team that could do some good things this year, especially in the Big 12. I'm just really excited. This coaching staff just has that faith in us.”
Throughout Basham's high school career, she played for PHH Prep in her home state and emerged as a top recruit in the 2022 class.
After missing last season, All-Conference guard Tyi Skinner is ready to get back in action for the Sun Devils. One thing Skinner is most excited about is pairing up with fellow guard, junior Jalyn Brown.
“I'm really excited to play with Ice (Brown),” Skinner said. “I've known her for a minute because we're from the same area back home. I'm excited to play with her, I think it will be a great duo in the backcourt and we'll make a great team. I think it'd be a showtime-type of basketball game. I think a lot of people would love to come and watch that duo.”
Adair is excited to see how the backcourt duo performs in the upcoming season, but she also can't wait for the Sun Devil faithful to meet all the new faces.
“They are leaders, they're staples of this program, they know the expectations, they've been phenomenal leaders for the new players,” Adair said. “But there's so many other names that I cannot wait for our fans to see and meet because now they're going to focus on Tyi , they're going to focus on Jalyn, Ice, as we call her, but they're going to be some other people that you get to meet … And you're going to see how they help our team.”
One of those new faces is senior forward Heavenly Greer, a transfer from Kansas State. She also returns to her home state where she grew up in Phoenix and will bring toughness and athleticism to the team.
“It's good (to be back home),” Greer said. “Just being here, being around family, being in this environment, around the coaches, around the teammates and enjoying the heat."
In her two seasons at Kansas State, Greer appeared in 46 games and averaged 6.6 minutes per game with 1.75 points and 1.75 rebounds.
Center Timya Grice is the only freshman on the team, and one of her special talents is dunking.
"What I love, is that she has big sisters, and her teammates and they rally around her, they make sure she always knows what's going on, she has been a sponge to how we're doing things," Adair said. "She's someone who's driven and wants to be better every day. I love the family atmosphere (and) the sisterhood we're building every day in this program, and she gets to benefit."
To start off the year, the team will face Jacksonville State University on Nov. 4 in Tempe.
Edited by Henry Smardo, Sophia Ramirez and Madeline Schmitke.
Reach the reporter at aabdeen3@asu.edu and follow @ayabdeen on X.
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Aya is a senior studying sports journalism with a minor in communication. This is her third semester with The State Press. She has also worked at The Next, Cronkite News and Blaze Radio.
