Arizona State coach Herb Sendek: Tra Holder ‘has improved quickly’
Feb 25, 2015, 8:08 PM | Updated: 8:09 pm
After starting Pac-12 play with an 0-4 record that included three losses of 17 points or more, the thought that Arizona State could make the NCAA Tournament was laughable. But their much improved play of late has the Sun Devils at least in the conversation.
The Sun Devils have won seven of their last 10 games and four of their last five, including an upset over No. 6 Arizona, to level out their Pac-12 mark for the first time this season at 7-7. They currently hold the seventh spot in the conference, but are just one game back of fourth-place Stanford. Coach Herb Sendek told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday that the team hasn’t changed a thing through the good and the bad.
“The guys have honored the process, they’ve stayed with it,” Sendek said. “Our processes are no different today than when we had the Pac-12 season starting losing streak. But even before we were rewarded with some wins, I would be telling our guys we’re getting better, you could see it.”
One player in particular has been a key to their recent success. Tra Holder has scored 10 or more points in six of the last seven games and has averaged five assists per game in that span. Those numbers have been especially important because fellow point guard Kodi Justice was lost for the season with a broken foot on Jan. 27.
“It starts with his character,” Sendek said. “He’s a tremendous young man. He has a great family. He’s a high character guy, so you can tell him the truth. He’s able to take it and respond accordingly, so he’s been very coachable. The other thing is, because he’s a high character guy, he’s been willing to change. In other words, he’s learned what it takes to be successful at this level and he’s put in the work.”
Holder’s season didn’t start out well. He lost his starting role after two games when he had as many turnovers as he did points (5). He went on to start a few games here or there, but didn’t even appear in two games and it looked like his freshman season would be a struggle. He looks completely different now.
“With a great attitude, a terrific work ethic, his foundation being his great character, he has improved quickly as a young player,” Sendek said. “Obviously, he’s a much different and better player than he was in our non-conference, but even if you look back at the beginning of Pac-12 play and fast forward to now, he’s made great progress.”
