ETSU to face Arizona State 'Skyscrapers'

East Tennessee State's task just got a little taller with news last Friday. Arizona State, which hosts the Bucs in the basketball season opener Monday at 10 p.m., was granted a preliminary injunction that 6-foot-11 Cal Baptist transfer Jonathan Griman can join the Sun Devils. The Venezuela native is just one of a handful of towering players for the Devils from the foreign lands. The Sun Devils could be nicknamed the Skyscrapers. Randy Bennett, in his first year coaching the Sun Devils after 25 years at St. Mary's, has a roster taller than some NBA teams. Junior center Filip Malesevic from Serbia is a towering 7-foot-3. Another junior center, Ben Defty from Germany at 7-foot-1, is a Boston University transfer with a 15 points per game average a year ago. There is a third 7-footer, Nate Garcia, a domestic talent from California. There's also a pair of tall Australians with 6-10 Ajak Nyuon, who has a 7-foot-5 wingspan, and 6-8 Marcus Vaughns. Add in 6-8 senior Paulius Muraskas from Lithuania and there's possibilities of multiple imposing lineups. Making it tough for ETSU, rebounding was an area where the Bucs struggled in last Sunday's exhibition against High Point. The Panthers outrebounded the Bucs 46-25 and enjoyed a 23-9 advantage in second-chance points. The Sun Devils aren't just tall in the post, they have a number of lengthy guards. Bryce Ford, a 6-4 guard from Arizona, is the top returning player. He averaged 6.9 points in 27 games last season. Vijay Wallace (6-6), Dillan Shaw (6-7), Jokubas Rudatis (6-7), Emmanuel Innocenti (6-5) and J'Rob Croy (6-6) are others who give Arizona State enormous size. ABOUT THE BUCS Transfer guards Jayden Cooper and B.J. Ward led the way for ETSU in their exhibition against High Point. Cooper, the high-scoring guard who came from South Alabama, had a team-high 22 points. Ward, an all-around talent who played last season at Southeast Missouri State, finished with 17 points, eight assists and three steals. The pair of 6-footers are at an obvious height disadvantage against the Sun Devils. ETSU does have size at guards with 6-5 senior Maki Johnson the top returner from last year's Southern Conference regular-season champion. Tyran Mason, a 6-6 transfer from Texas-Arlington, had his moments against High Point. So did talented 6-4 freshman Colt Busse, who scored seven points against High Point. Ben Maller is another 6-4 freshman guard with high expectations. Trevor Hennig, a 6-4 junior transfer from Weber State, could be another impact player. Down low, the Bucs obviously miss Jordan McCullum, out with a season-ending knee injury. Brayden Crump missed the High Point exhibition. ETSU is depending heavily on 6-9 redshirt junior Marqus Marion, who is just getting back to game action after limited action last season at Wake Forest. Kendall Campbell, a 6-7 senior transfer from Wingate, and 6-8 freshman Elton Smith, who had some good moments against High Point, will have to match up with Arizona State's big men.