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ASU Basketball: Under Hurley, Arizona rivalry has heated up for local players

By Zach Pekale

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 24: Jalen Hill #24 of the UCLA Bruins guards Zylan Cheatham #45 of the Arizona State Sun Devils as he drives to the basket in the second half of the game Pauley Pavilion on January 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 24: Jalen Hill #24 of the UCLA Bruins guards Zylan Cheatham #45 of the Arizona State Sun Devils as he drives to the basket in the second half of the game Pauley Pavilion on January 24, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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In coach Bobby Hurley’s fourth season with ASU basketball, the gap in its in-state rivalry with Arizona has considerably narrowed.

Tempers flare, emotions run high and houses divide. It’s rivalry week in Tempe.

Similar to the past three years, however, there’s a growing sense of optimism as Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley continues to bridge the gap between his Sun Devils and their Tucson-based counterpart.

Nearly knocking off the Wildcats twice a year ago, the outcomes didn’t favor ASU, but Hurley’s team challenged coach Sean Miller’s group on both occassions, putting the state and Miller on notice that a new chapter of the rivalry was inevitable.

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Redshirt senior forward Zylan Cheatham was forced to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, instead taking in the game from the sidelines.

An alumnus of South Mountain High School in Phoenix, he’d previously attended the rivalry game as a fan during a time in which Arizona had a firm grip on the series. But his experience was different last year, unofficially his first with the Sun Devils.

“I think that environment was unbelievable,” said Cheatham.

“Growing up, when I used to come to the game, it was either 50-50 with ASU and U of A crowds or U of A would dominate our crowd. Last year, you couldn’t really pick out a red or blue jersey out of the gold storm.”

Like Cheatham, sophomore guard Trevor Thompson and junior guard Grant Fogerty grew up in Phoenix, supporting ASU during the final stages of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson’s career and the early stages of Miller’s.

“My dad used to work at ASU when I was really young so I’ve been going to the games since I was like five years old,” said Fogerty.

His family could generally be found in the upper level, but proximity wasn’t of the utmost importance to Fogerty.  As he described it, the energy of the rivalry is “pretty special.”

One of his most vivid memories comes from February 2014.

ASU edged No. 2 Arizona in double overtime behind 29 points from Jermaine Marshall, eight blocks by Jordan Bachynski and a game-sealing dunk from Jahii Carson in the final moments, sending the Wells Fargo Arena crowd into a frenzy as fans rushed the court.

Since then, the Sun Devils own one more win over the Wildcats. Arizona has won the past six meetings.

As Hurley has reshaped the state of the program with high-caliber recruits and continued to arrange one of the more difficult nonconference schedules nationally, his team recognizes just how palpable a victory over Arizona is.

“It’s a change in the culture,” Fogerty said. “We’re taking the next step, we’re right there and I’m hoping this year is the year we take over and be the leaders in the state.”

While ASU is treating Thursday’s game like any other on the schedule, there’s no denying that the stakes are always elevated for a rivalry. Thompson noted Tuesday’s practice was more emotional and that the players are drawn to the energy.

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“When you’re on a team and you’re around people who want to beat them, you just get attached emotionally,” Thompson said. “One thing about coach Hurley is that, it doesn’t matter who we play.”

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted. 

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