Observing Jayden Quaintance, Joson Sanon, and Tyon Grant-Foster in the Arizona State-Grand Canyon Game
November 17th, 2024
By Alan Lu
Recently, I decided to take the time to watch Arizona State play against Grand Canyon in a November 14th basketball game that was televised on ESPN2, as it featured two very talented freshmen in Jayden Quaintance and Joson Sanon, and Grand Canyon’s senior forward, Tyon Grant-Foster made his long awaited season debut against Arizona State.
This game did not disappoint, as it was a highly contested game that went back and forth, with Grant-Foster providing strong play on both ends of the floor for most of the game, while Joson Sanon provided sharpshooting prowess and Jayden Quaintance made really strong, energetic plays on both ends of the floor to help Arizona State. In the end, Arizona State was able to hold off a feisty Grand Canyon squad to get the win. Here are my thoughts on how Quaintance, Sanon, Grant-Foster, and others fared in this game.
Arizona State’s 6-9 forward, Jayden Quaintance is a 17-year old freshman that played wise beyond his years, as he showcased solid playmaking and strong defensive skills to go along with having solid athletic gifts to help lead his team to get the win over Grand Canyon’s.
(Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic, via AZCentral)
Jayden Quaintance is a very athletic, high-motor forward that excelled at making energetic plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. He was especially terrific in the second half of this game, as his strong defensive performance and unselfish play helped bolster Arizona State to get the victory.
Quaintance did a good job of scoring on hustle plays. He was able to pivot off of a quick cut to get a strong score around the basket. He also ran the floor to score on a powerful dunk late in the game. He was also able to draw free throws on a strong drop step move out of the post. However, he didn’t take many shots in this game, and he struggled to make shots from further out.
Quaintance also showcased solid playmaking skills in this game. He passes and handles the ball well, as he excelled at making passes off the dribble and in transition to find teammates on the move to set up scores for them. On the downside, sometimes he would over-penetrate, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers. Also early on, he threw an inaccurate pass that led to an over and back violation.
Also, he showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball. Quaintance also defended very well. He was very impressive at blocking shots, as he has good length, footwork, and timing to stay with his man and block shots both out on the perimeter and around the basket. He also managed to swipe a ball away from an athletic ball handler and chase the ball down to get the steal. He also excelled at contesting shots to force misses. Every once in a while though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.
In summary, Jayden Quaintance had a strong showing to help lead Arizona State to get the win over Grand Canyon. He played very well, especially on the defensive end, and his strong blend of athleticism, defensive skills, and upside could enable him to excel as a solid role player similar to Brooklyn Nets’ center Nic Claxton in the NBA.
Joson Sanon put on a shooting clinic, as the 6-5 freshman guard scored 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting, and made 5 three-pointers to help get Arizona State the win over Grand Canyon’s.
(Photo: Evan Barcanic/The Republic, via AZ Central)
Arizona State’s 6-5 freshman guard, Joson Sanon also had a strong performance to lead his team to a win over Grand Canyon. He is an athletic, skilled guard that shot the ball very well, as he showed off his sharpshooting prowess to help his team get the victory. Sanon showed a knack for making open spot-up threes and pull-up mid-range jumpers, and he also made a smooth stepback three another time. However, sometimes he would miss when he would like to drive all the way to the basket.
Also, he was able to chip in to get a few boards on the defensive end. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, he was able to tie up an opposing ball handler to force a turnover, and he also contested a three to force a miss. However, he would tend to struggle to guard opposing ball handlers, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.
In general, Sanon played very well to lead Arizona State to get a win over Grand Canyon, and he thrived as a shooter and scorer in this game. He shot the ball very well in this game, and he could project to be a solid 3 and D role player similar to Dallas Mavericks’ guard, Quentin Grimes in the NBA.
Tyon Grant-Foster scored 19 points, and had 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, and 1 block in his team’s tough loss to Arizona State on November 14th. (Photo: Patrick Breen/The Republic, via USA Today)
Grand Canyon’s 6-7 senior forward, Tyon Grant-Foster also had a solid showing in his team’s tough loss to Arizona State. He especially played well in the first half, as he showcased strong defensive skills and a solid ability to drive to the hoop to score the basketball. Grant-Foster showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble. He is a fleet-footed swingman that has a hard driving style, and he would tend to draw fouls to frequently get to the free throw line, as well as score on aggressive drives to the basket. Grant-Foster was also able to drive in to score on a high-flying, two-handed dunk in transition. He also was able to dribble to his left to make a pull-up three. However, sometimes he would struggle to make shots when he wouldn’t get foul calls, and he also struggled to knock down outside shots on a consistent basis.
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Also, he showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball, and Grant-Foster was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor. He also defended very well in this game. Grant-Foster is a rangy, tenacious defender that would get his hands on passes and poke balls away to get a plethora of steals for his team. On one play, he defended an opponent on a drive and poked the ball away, and managed to save the ball to a teammate to help his team get a steal. He also showed a knack for contesting shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint, and he was able to block a shot off of a drive due to possessing very good athleticism, timing, and instincts. On the downside, he would sometimes gamble too much, which would lead him to be out of position to allow scores.
Overall, Tyon Grant-Foster played well in his team’s loss to Arizona State. He is a very athletic, energetic swingman that made strong plays on both ends of the floor, and he could be a solid pick in the second round of the 2025 draft, as he could end up being a similar player to Dallas Mavericks’ forward, Naji Marshall in the NBA.
Grand Canyon’s 6-9 senior forward, Lok Wur had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Arizona State. He is an athletic combo forward that showed off versatile scoring skills, and he also made an impressive block to help his team defensively early on. Wur showed a knack for making open, spot-up threes off the catch. He also was able to use a pump fake and dribble to the post to score on a fadeaway jumper due to possessing a good shooting touch. He also managed to score on a dunk off of a roll to the rim. Sometimes though, he would miss on close-range shots from around the basket, as he would sometimes miss due to rushing.
On the other hand, he looked to be about average at best as a playmaker in this game. While he generally showed that he can handle the basketball, he did commit a couple of turnovers. He was called for shuffling his feet when handling the ball to turn the ball over once. Another time, he drove in and used a pump fake, but committed a charging foul, as a basket he would’ve scored ended up being wiped off the board. Also, Wur was able to get his fair share of rebounds, and he was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor.
Defensively, he looked to be about average. He is an active defender who has good length and athleticism to make plays on that side of the ball, and Wur was able to rotate to block a shot hard off the dribble. On the downside, he sagged too far off his man once, which led him to give up a three-point basket. Another time, he got beat off the dribble to allow a score. Overall, Wur is an athletic, combo forward that has a promising set of skills on both ends of the floor, but he will need to continue to refine and hone his skills to realize his full potential. If he can play to his capabilities, he could end up making it as a 3 and D role player in the NBA.
Arizona State’s 6-9 senior forward, Basheer Jihad also played well to help lead his team to a win over Grand Canyon. He is a strong, energetic combo forward that excelled at scoring on strong drives to the hoop, and he showed good balance, body control, and shooting touch to do so. He also was able to make a smooth, turnaround mid-range jumper. Plus, he also was able to make a three from beyond the arc. On the downside, he didn’t look to shoot any threes. Also, sometimes he would over-dribble, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers.
He also did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended well. Jihad was able to successfully draw a couple of charges on opposing ball handlers, and he also intercepted a pass to get a steal. Overall, Jihad had a strong showing to help lead his team to a win in this game. He’s a skilled scorer that can make shots from all over the floor, but he’ll need to improve his playmaking skills in the meantime. Still, he played well in this game, and he could project to be a 3 and D role player in the NBA.
Alston Mason also had a solid showing to help Arizona State get a win over Grand Canyon. He showed off versatile scoring skills, as he especially shot the ball well from the outside. Mason showed a knack for making open, spot-up threes, and he also was able to smooth, step-back jumper from the mid-range. He also is a quick, shifty ball handler that generally excelled at scoring off the dribble.
Also, he showed off solid playmaking skills, and he excelled at making passes off the dribble and finding teammates on the move to set up scores for his teammates. On the other hand, he did not grab a rebound in this game. He also played decent defense in this game. Mason was able to poke a ball away out of bounds once, and he also contested a three to force a miss. On one play though, he got beat off the dribble to allow a score.
Overall, Mason quietly played very well to help his team get a win over Grand Canyon. He is an agile, skilled scoring point guard that excelled at making plays on both ends of the floor, and he is a crafty playmaker that may have what it takes to make it to the NBA one day.
Grand Canyon’s 6-8 senior forward, JaKobe Coles also had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Arizona State. He excelled as a spot-up shooter from beyond the arc, as he took advantage of the ample time and space that defenders would give him to knock down threes. He also would score on smooth drives to the hoop, and he also was able to knock down a pull-up jumper from the mid-range. On the downside, he would sometimes over-dribble and play too recklessly, as he would commit charging fouls on offense.
He didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, but he was able to get a pair of defensive boards when he was on the floor. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, Coles was able to deflect a pass out of bounds, and he also contested a three to force a miss. On the downside, he would sometimes play too aggressively, which would lead him to commit fouls when rotating to defend opponents off the dribble.
Overall, Coles played well in his team’s loss to Arizona State. He excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game, but he did foul out at a crucial point of the game with about four minutes left to go. Still, he is a strong, physical combo forward that can shoot the basketball, which could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA in the future.
Shawn Phillips Jr. is a 7-0 junior center that played fairly well, especially in the first half to help Arizona State get the win. Phillips excelled as a finisher around the basket. He is a strong, mobile big man that ran in to score on a powerful tip slam. He also made a strong drop step move to score out of the post. On the other hand, he’ll need to improve his playmaking skills. He was called for setting a moving screen once. He also threw a hasty pass that got intercepted another time.
Also, Phillips did a tremendous job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended well. He would rotate to block shots to help his team protect the paint, and he also was able to swat a shot off of a drive to himself late in the game. On one play though, he got beat off the dribble to allow a score. Overall, Phillips had a solid showing, as he made strong team plays to help Arizona State get the win. He’ll need to be more assertive on offense and improve his decision-making skills on the offensive end, but his vast size, combined with his athleticism and defensive skills could enable him to compete for a backup center role in the NBA in the future.
Grand Canyon’s 6-4 senior guard, Ray Harrison had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Arizona State. He’s an athletic playmaker that showed off versatile scoring skills, and he also passed the ball well in this game. Harrison showed off a good shooting touch as a scorer off the dribble, and he also shot the ball fairly well from the outside. On the downside, sometimes he would miss on open shots, as he ended up missing once on an open layup despite getting the ball on a backdoor cut.
He also showcased solid playmaking skills. Harrison would consistently get the ball to open shooters, and he also showed that he can throw crisp interior passes to set up plenty of scoring chances for his teammates. Also, Harrison did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball.
He also played adequate defense. Harrison would poke balls away to get steals and deflections, and he also was able to hustle back to make a chase down block in transition to a teammate. He’s a rangy defender that can cover plenty of ground and can also apply considerable pressure to hound opposing ball handlers. On the downside, he would tend to gamble too much and play too aggressively, as he would tend to wind up out of position and commit fouls and allow scores. He also tended to bit on pump fakes, which would lead his team to wind up in scramble situations.
Overall, Harrison played well in his team’s loss to Arizona State. He is an athletic, skilled versatile guard that helped his team in a wide array of ways in this game. He’ll still need to continue to improve his outside shot, but if so, he could end up making his way to the NBA someday.
Arizona State’s senior guard, Adam Miller quietly played well in his team’s win over Grand Canyon. Though he didn’t look to score often, he excelled at making open, spot-up threes off the catch. He also was able to run the floor to score on the break. He was a bit streaky with his outside shot, but he was able to make threes and score on a layup to show his versatile scoring skills. Also, he generally passed the ball well, and he was able to rack up a pair of assists, but there was one play where he threw an inaccurate pass that got intercepted. Overall, Miller had a decent showing to help his team get the victory, and his offensive skills could enable him to compete for a roster spot in the NBA someday.
All in all, those are my thoughts on how Quaintance, Sanon, Grant-Foster, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.