Freshman Sanon Shines: Leads Arizona State to Thrilling 87-76 Victory Over Grand Canyon with 21 Points

PHOENIX — In a thrilling encounter at the Phoenix Suns’ Footprint Center, Arizona State University triumphed over Grand Canyon University, clinching an 87-76 victory. Freshman Joson Sanon stood out, scoring a career-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers, as the Sun Devils improved to a 3-1 record.

Sanon’s impressive first-half performance included 13 points, propelling ASU to a narrow 41-40 lead at halftime. Basheer Jihad contributed significantly, adding 18 points, while Alston Mason scored 16—11 of which came during a pivotal second half.

Grand Canyon’s Tyon Grant-Foster, the reigning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, made his season debut and scored 19 points, albeit on a challenging shooting night with only 5 of 17 from the field. JaKobe Coles added 17 points, with Ray Harrison contributing 15 and Lok Wur reaching double figures with 10.

A critical moment came when Sanon drained a 3-pointer with 8:47 remaining, extending ASU’s lead to 67-56, the largest of the game. The Antelopes struggled to narrow the gap, unable to come closer than seven points thereafter. In the closing moments, the lead ballooned to 13.

Arizona State demonstrated offensive prowess, shooting 54% overall and excelling from the foul line, hitting 18 of 21 attempts. Sanon finished 8 of 12 from the field, showcasing his sharpshooting skills with a remarkable 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. After a shaky first half that saw 11 turnovers, the Sun Devils settled down, committing only four in the second half.

In contrast, Grand Canyon shot just 40% in the second half, while Arizona State maintained a hot shooting streak at 58%. The first half was a back-and-forth affair with seven ties and lead changes, culminating in Mason’s layup that gave ASU a narrow one-point lead at halftime.

Looking ahead, Arizona State will host St. Thomas on Saturday, while Grand Canyon prepares to face UC Davis next Wednesday.