Massamba Diop's top performance led Arizona State to victory over Santa Clara. He came out to be the most effective player in the game for the Sun Devils. Diop scored 15 points and 9 rebounds, and his performance played a significant role in ASU overcoming a big halftime lead and winning in the second half.
Struggles in the First Half Prepared the Way
The first half was tough on the Sun Devils as they were behind by more than 10 points at the half, with Santa Clara controlling how things went and taking advantage of effective ball movement. Arizona State struggled to find an offensive flow early and went into halftime trailing on the scoreboard.
Although Arizona State did not commit many offenses during the initial period, Diop was active on the inside, banging on the glass and making it appear like ASU was within reach even though the scoreboard had a difference.
Second-Half Effect and Moving Momentum.
Arizona State delivered a much stronger second half, and Diop made his presence felt even more as the comeback began. The Sun Devils played with greater aggression, attacked the paint, rebounded more effectively, and grew more comfortable running the offense through Diop.
His scoring and rebounding helped Arizona State regain control during key stretches, particularly after momentum swung in Santa Clara’s favor. The fact that Diop can complete inside, challenge shots, and get rebounds helped ASU to achieve a second-half rush as the Sun Devils showed better results after the first half compared to the Broncos.
A Complete Performance
Even though the official statistics do not break down Diop’s first-half performance. The game sequence shows how significant he was during the turnaround by Arizona State. His almost double-duple personality showed constancy, body, and calmness-qualities that were crucial in a tense neutral field match.
It was not just the number of his hits, but the timing of his hits that made the performance of Massamba Diop outstanding. As Arizona State mounted its comeback, Diop delivered at crucial moments on both ends of the floor, playing a key role in one of the Sun Devils’ most impressive performances of the season.