Pac-10 All-Freshman Team

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Davis Sports Deli's Pac-10 Basketball Coverage By: Joshua Fischman Pac-10 Preview: Pre-season All-Freshman Team In 2007-08, the Pac-10 is perhaps the most intruiging and exciting conference in college basketball. From the youthful athleticism of USC to the veteran experience of Washington State to the depth of UCLA, the Pac-10 is loaded with potential NCAA contenders. To celebrate the beginning of Pac-10 conference play, Joshua Fischman has compiled a list of the top talent in the conference, separated by class standing. To supplement these pre-season lists, Joshua has conducted exclusive interviews with some of the Pac-10's most talented players. Up first is Joshua's pre-season Pac-10 All-Freshman team, followed by an interview with Arizona State standout Derek Glasser (whose teammate, James Harden, is featured in this piece). On Thursday, Joshua will produce his All-Sophomore team (with featured guest Joevan Catron), followed by the All-Junior team on Friday, January 3 and the All-Senior team on Saturday, January 4. We hope you enjoy these exlusive features, brought to you by the Davis Sports Deli, your premiere source for the Pac-10 and NCAA basketball. Pac-10 Pre-season All-Freshman Team Guard - O.J. Mayo USC The most hyped college freshman of all time has been impressive, but still must improve his shot selection and cut down on his turnovers. Guard - Jerryd Bayless Arizona The Super Freshman leads the Wildcats in scoring, assists, three-point shooting and minutes played. Forward - James Harden Arizona St. The lefty Los Angeles native has given Sun Devil fans a reason to smile. Forward - Davon Jefferson USC If SC wins the Pac-10, this man will be a big reason why. Center - Kevin Love UCLA Kevin Love is already The Man in Westwood with his size, strength and basketball intelligence. And this guy is no slouch with a microphone, either. Derek Glasser Interview Derek Glasser is a sophomore point guard for the Arizona St. Sun Devils. Heading into conference play, Glasser is averaging 5.4 points and 4.2 assists per game for the 10-2 Sun Devils. Arizona St. will open Pac-10 play on Thursday, January 3 against the Oregon Ducks. In this interview, Glasser discusses the recruiting process, teammate James Harden and Sun Devil football with Joshua Fischman. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Derek. Joshua Fischman: What has been your favorite moment so far in a Sun Devils uniform? Derek Glasser: My favorite moment as a Sun Devil has been hitting the game-winning shot my freshman year [against] Cal. JF: Talk about how good freshman James Harden has been [this season]. What kind of a player do you expect him to be when he reaches his full potential? DG: James Harden has been a major impact on our team, providing us with a go-to player and someone we can give the ball to when we need a basket. James can be as good as he wants. If he works, he has the potential to be an NBA All-Star. The sky is the limit for him. JF: What was the recruiting process like, and what factors led you to decide to become a Sun Devil? What other schools were you looking at? DG: The recruiting process was difficult because it's hard to pick just one school that you want to spend the next four years at. I had originally committed to USC, but [I] decided to back out of my committment when I realized it wasn't the best place for me. Then ASU hired my high school coach and offered me a scholarship. I visited and felt it was the best place for me because it was close enough to home [Marina Del Rey, CA] and Coach Sendek is a coach I can trust. Being the point guard, you have to be able to trust your coach. I was [also] recruited by Stanford, California, USC, San Diego State and Washington State. JF: How frustrating has it been for you and the team, losing more games than you won the last couple seasons? Do you think the team is heading in the right direction? DG: Well, my freshman year, last year, we went 8-22 and in my four years of high school I was 111-19. So I lost more [games] my freshman year than I lost [in] all of high school. That was really hard, but at the same time it helped me personally, and the team collectively, grow. And this year it is helping us in tough games where we have experience and we are able to come over the hump and win the close games instead of losing them. JF: Describe the 2007-08 Sun Devils basketball team. What is special about the team? DG: This year's Sun Devil team is one with depth and experience off the bench. Although we start anywhere between 2 and 4 freshmen on a given night, we are able to compete at a high level and not lose a beat when we sub. Our best players are Jeff Pendergraph and James Harden, who we look to a lot for scoring. I think they are our #1 and 2 scorers. We like to run in transition and we are really looking to play as a unit, because we know that is how we are going to be able to win games. This year's team is special because we know how good we can be and we are hungry. We want to prove to ourselves and to everyone else that we aren't the same push-over Arizona State team, that we are here for real. JF: The Pac-10 conference looks very strong this year. Can you give us a preview of the conference? DG: Well the Pac-10 this year is as strong as its ever been. We have great players in every class on every team. So every Thursday and Saturday, you have to bring your A game to get a win. Although UCLA and Washington State look like [the] clear favorites of the league, we are so deep that anybody can win on a given night and everybody's goal is to win the Pac-10. To some degree it's a realistic [goal]. JF: Who were your sports heroes growing up? DG: I admired John Stockton, Matt Santangelo (Gonzaga), Dan Dickau (Gonzaga), Steve Nash and Gerald Brown (Pepperdine). JF: What kind of a coach is Herb Sendek? DG: Coach Sendek is a very passionate coach. He is the smartest man I have ever met and he really cares about us as players and as men, on and off the court. His ability to scout other teams and prepare us for games is amazing. His passion and drive for every minute of every day (practices, games) is second to none. JF: What do you think about the Sun Devils football team? DG: I think it has been great for our school that the football team has been doing so well. They have had a lot of guys step up this year and become big-time football players. It was great to see them beat Cal at home. [Editor's note: Derek predicted a 31-27 or 34-31 victory in the Sun Bowl for ASU before the game]. Thanks, Derek, for contributing to our piece. For more Pac-10 coverage check back on Wednesday, January 2 for the All-Sophomore team. If you liked Derek's interview, you may also like our pre-Sun Bowl interview with Arizona State RB Dimitri Nance.

Pac-10 Preview: Pre-season All-Freshman Team

In 2007-08, the Pac-10 is perhaps the most intruiging and exciting conference in college basketball. From the youthful athleticism of USC to the veteran experience of Washington State to the depth of UCLA, the Pac-10 is loaded with potential NCAA contenders. To celebrate the beginning of Pac-10 conference play, Joshua Fischman has compiled a list of the top talent in the conference, separated by class standing. To supplement these pre-season lists, Joshua has conducted exclusive interviews with some of the Pac-10's most talented players.

Up first is Joshua's pre-season Pac-10 All-Freshman team, followed by an interview with Arizona State standout Derek Glasser (whose teammate, James Harden, is featured in this piece). On Thursday, Joshua will produce his All-Sophomore team (with featured guest Joevan Catron), followed by the All-Junior team on Friday, January 3 and the All-Senior team on Saturday, January 4. We hope you enjoy these exlusive features, brought to you by the Davis Sports Deli, your premiere source for the Pac-10 and NCAA basketball.

Pac-10 Pre-season All-Freshman Team

Guard - O.J. Mayo USC
The most hyped college freshman of all time has been impressive, but still must improve his shot selection and cut down on his turnovers.

Guard - Jerryd Bayless Arizona
The Super Freshman leads the Wildcats in scoring, assists, three-point shooting and minutes played.

Forward - James Harden Arizona St.
The lefty Los Angeles native has given Sun Devil fans a reason to smile.

Forward - Davon Jefferson USC
If SC wins the Pac-10, this man will be a big reason why.

Center - Kevin Love UCLA
Kevin Love is already The Man in Westwood with his size, strength and basketball intelligence. And this guy is no slouch with a microphone, either.

Derek Glasser Interview

Derek Glasser is a sophomore point guard for the Arizona St. Sun Devils. Heading into conference play, Glasser is averaging 5.4 points and 4.2 assists per game for the 10-2 Sun Devils. Arizona St. will open Pac-10 play on Thursday, January 3 against the Oregon Ducks. In this interview, Glasser discusses the recruiting process, teammate James Harden and Sun Devil football with Joshua Fischman. We hope you enjoy this conversation with Derek.

Joshua Fischman: What has been your favorite moment so far in a Sun Devils uniform?

Derek Glasser: My favorite moment as a Sun Devil has been hitting the game-winning shot my freshman year [against] Cal.

JF: Talk about how good freshman James Harden has been [this season]. What kind of a player do you expect him to be when he reaches his full potential?

DG: James Harden has been a major impact on our team, providing us with a go-to player and someone we can give the ball to when we need a basket. James can be as good as he wants. If he works, he has the potential to be an NBA All-Star. The sky is the limit for him.

JF: What was the recruiting process like, and what factors led you to decide to become a Sun Devil? What other schools were you looking at?

DG: The recruiting process was difficult because it's hard to pick just one school that you want to spend the next four years at. I had originally committed to USC, but [I] decided to back out of my committment when I realized it wasn't the best place for me. Then ASU hired my high school coach and offered me a scholarship. I visited and felt it was the best place for me because it was close enough to home [Marina Del Rey, CA] and Coach Sendek is a coach I can trust. Being the point guard, you have to be able to trust your coach. I was [also] recruited by Stanford, California, USC, San Diego State and Washington State.

JF: How frustrating has it been for you and the team, losing more games than you won the last couple seasons? Do you think the team is heading in the right direction?

DG: Well, my freshman year, last year, we went 8-22 and in my four years of high school I was 111-19. So I lost more [games] my freshman year than I lost [in] all of high school. That was really hard, but at the same time it helped me personally, and the team collectively, grow. And this year it is helping us in tough games where we have experience and we are able to come over the hump and win the close games instead of losing them.

JF: Describe the 2007-08 Sun Devils basketball team. What is special about the team?

DG: This year's Sun Devil team is one with depth and experience off the bench. Although we start anywhere between 2 and 4 freshmen on a given night, we are able to compete at a high level and not lose a beat when we sub. Our best players are Jeff Pendergraph and James Harden, who we look to a lot for scoring. I think they are our #1 and 2 scorers. We like to run in transition and we are really looking to play as a unit, because we know that is how we are going to be able to win games. This year's team is special because we know how good we can be and we are hungry. We want to prove to ourselves and to everyone else that we aren't the same push-over Arizona State team, that we are here for real.

JF: The Pac-10 conference looks very strong this year. Can you give us a preview of the conference?

DG: Well the Pac-10 this year is as strong as its ever been. We have great players in every class on every team. So every Thursday and Saturday, you have to bring your A game to get a win. Although UCLA and Washington State look like [the] clear favorites of the league, we are so deep that anybody can win on a given night and everybody's goal is to win the Pac-10. To some degree it's a realistic [goal].

JF: Who were your sports heroes growing up?

DG: I admired John Stockton, Matt Santangelo (Gonzaga), Dan Dickau (Gonzaga), Steve Nash and Gerald Brown (Pepperdine).

JF: What kind of a coach is Herb Sendek?

DG: Coach Sendek is a very passionate coach. He is the smartest man I have ever met and he really cares about us as players and as men, on and off the court. His ability to scout other teams and prepare us for games is amazing. His passion and drive for every minute of every day (practices, games) is second to none.

JF: What do you think about the Sun Devils football team?

DG: I think it has been great for our school that the football team has been doing so well. They have had a lot of guys step up this year and become big-time football players. It was great to see them beat Cal at home. [Editor's note: Derek predicted a 31-27 or 34-31 victory in the Sun Bowl for ASU before the game].

Thanks, Derek, for contributing to our piece. For more Pac-10 coverage check back on Wednesday, January 2 for the All-Sophomore team. If you liked Derek's interview, you may also like our pre-Sun Bowl interview with Arizona State RB Dimitri Nance.