ASU Basketball: Cheatham defines ‘Big Guard U’ in scrimmage

Forward Zylan Cheatham displayed his versatility and athleticism in ASU basketball‘s 104-76 scrimmage win over Arizona Christian.

Last year, Arizona State was defined by its backcourt nicknamed “Guard U.” A year later, its three primary guards have all graduated, but the guard-based mentality lives on – even with one of its tallest players.

Standing 6-foot-8, forward Zylan Cheatham is one of ASU’s most versatile and athletic players on the roster. According to head coach Bobby Hurley, Cheatham’s vertical jump is 42 inches, the highest on the team.

In his first official scrimmage wearing an ASU uniform, Cheatham stood out. The San Diego State transfer recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the Sun Devils’ 106-47 win over Arizona Christian.

“Zylan, he showed obviously in the open floor what he can do; just his versatility,” Hurley said. “I thought he had some nice passes as well.”

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Due to an ankle injury to Remy Martin, Cheatham found himself taking the ball down the court throughout the game.

Doing so, he showed off his ball-handling skills and ability to drive toward the rim. Not to mention, he also put down a couple of emphatic dunks in the first half.

On the contrary, the defense committed lapses throughout the game and allowed the Firestorm to shoot 49 three-pointers. Even though Cheatham was promising on the offensive end in the scrimmage, Hurley said he was a factor in the defense’s inconsistency.

“He was a part of the whole mix on defense that had some breakdowns,” Hurley said. “He’s too good of an athlete and a defender to have that go on.”

Cheatham also committed four personal fouls and turned the ball over twice on what were a couple of head-scratching blunders.

Though he showed both positive and negatives in the exhibition game, more will be known about Cheatham when the regular season begins. Because of Cheatham’s versatility and ability to play a number of positions, Hurley said he can work with a variety of lineups this season.

“He’s a multi-position guy,” Hurley said. “And he’s a guy that can get the rebound for us and push the ball. He’s unselfish, so he’s looking for his teammates.”