Doug Haller

azcentral sports

Arizona State basketball this season will be without freshman forward Romello White, who did not meet NCAA academic requirements and will sit out as an academic redshirt. White will maintain four years of eligibility.

A 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from Suwanee, Ga., White was a late addition to coach Bobby Hurley’s 2016 Top 25 recruiting class. A four-star and ESPN Top 100 prospect, White was expected to contribute immediately, giving the Sun Devils much-needed post help.

College basketball's first official day of practice is Friday. The Sun Devils open Hurley's second season Nov. 11 at home against Portland State.

"Just having (White) in the program, as disappointing as this feels, his upside and future here are very strong," Hurley told azcentral sports. "We're going to have to be a little different (without him), a little unique. With this news, we're going to be obviously driven through our guard play."

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Former point guard Jahii Carson had a similar experience when he joined the ASU program in 2011. He was allowed to practice his first season, but did not compete in games. Carson then played the next two seasons, earning All-Pac-12 honors, before leaving the program to go pro.

Without White – who is allowed to practice – the Sun Devils will be thin in the post. Center Eric Jacobsen and small forward Willie Atwood both exhausted their eligibility. Junior forward Savon Goodman – ASU’s top reserve – left the program. Even with them, the Sun Devils last season struggled protecting the rim, finishing 15-17 overall and 5-13 in the Pac-12.

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Redshirt freshman Andre Adams, along with freshmen Jethro Tshisumpa and Ramon Vila are Hurley’s only true post players. Adams sat out last season after suffering his second ACL injury and has yet to be medically cleared for full-court activity.

Senior Obinna Oleka, who last season averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds, can play both forward spots. Another freshman, 6-9 stretch forward Vitaliy Shibel, tore his ACL and is out for the season.

"We weren't great on defense last year, especially in conference, so there's going to be a heavy emphasis on that in our preseason preparations,'' Hurley said. "I do have a strong belief that we have a chance to be an exceptional offensive team if we can get some stops. Guys are going to have to play a little bigger than they are and we're going to have to collectively rebound."

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Hurley should have strong guards. Junior point guard Tra Holder, who last season averaged a team-high 14.2 points, returns. He'll be paired with junior guard Shannon Evans, who sat out last season after starring for Hurley at Buffalo. Freshman Sam Cunliffe – the highest-rated recruit to enter the program since James Harden arrived in 2007 – also is expected to play a significant role.

"We're excited to get going," Hurley said. "It always feels like a long preseason, especially when you have a little bit of a bad taste in your mouth with how the (previous) season ended. ... There's a lot of things to be excited about."

NOTES

- On Friday, Oct. 14, ASU will participate in "Mill Madness," a showcase that will feature the men's and women's basketball programs. A basketball court will be placed at the corner of 7th and Mill Avenue. The event -- free to the public -- runs from 8 to 10 p.m. "My hat's off to the administration for putting that together,'' Hurley said. "There's always a cost associated with that and they really stepped up. I think it has a chance to be unique. I know our players are really excited about it."

- Because of concerns over the Zika virus, ESPN moved this season's Puerto Rico Tip-Off to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. The tournament -- which includes ASU -- will unfold on the same dates, Nov. 17-20. "It's a difficult situation,'' Hurley said. "When we agreed to play in the event, we were excited about Puerto Rico. It's just unfortunate. I think it was a smart move in regards to the safety of our student athletes and our traveling party, just with the unknown nature of the virus. I know it wasn't ideal for ESPN and Puerto Rico, but it was the right thing to do."

Contact Doug Haller at 602-444-4949 or at doug.haller@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter.