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Cherry ready to revive results as Lope
4/19/2021 6:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball, Paul Coro
Arizona State transfer brings defensive energy, offensive versatility
Taeshon Cherry has not played a college basketball game since Dec. 16, three days after he played for Arizona State at Grand Canyon.
Cherry's next game also will be at GCU Arena, where the ASU transfer feels like he can tap into how much he misses the game and how touted he was nationally as a 2018 four-star recruit.
Cherry, the 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from El Cajon, California, already plays with a high-revving motor. Combine how much he misses the game and how electric GCU Arena can be and Cherry is expecting to hit another gear for his two remaining seasons with the Lopes.
"The atmosphere of basketball at GCU is crazy," Cherry said. "It seems like everything is geared toward basketball. That was a big thing. Coach (Bryce) Drew and his staff are a great staff and they know what they're doing. They want to make me get better. That's what my main focus was in picking a school, trying to get as best I can to get to a professional level."
Cherry was rated as a top-35 prospect by four recruiting outlets when he came to ASU. He made 17 career starts, played in 62 games and posted averages of 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game over three seasons.
"We are thrilled that Taeshon will be joining the GCU family," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Taeshon brings great experience into our program, as well as perimeter shooting and versaility on the defensive end."
The Sun Devils were 9-1 when he scored 10 or more points and he did not make a turnover in seven games last season, but his season ended in mid-December for personal reasons. Cherry said his anxiety was heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The last 16 games that I sat out made me realize how much I miss basketball," Cherry said. "It's like high school again. I want to be in the gym 24/7 now. I think that can happen to a whole different level when I go to GCU.
"It's like a weight off my back. I just got a new start, new coaching staff, new teammates. I get to start over on a new fresh page. I get to show everybody that I'm ready to work and ready to make an impact as soon as I hit the court. I'm really excited. I can't wait to get to GCU."
Cherry started last season with an 11-point, five-rebound, one-steal game against Rhode Island and played a season-high 22 minutes in ASU's 71-70 win on Dec. 13 in front of 354 people at GCU.
"We were talking about it after the game, how it was still crazy and that loud even with that many people," Cherry said. "That atmosphere is different. I can't wait to be a part of it, especially the Havocs. It's going to be fun. I feed off the crowd all the time."
That comes through most in Cherry's defensive intensity, which gives off an energy that can be infectious with teammates. He is still aiming to fulfill his potential offensive versatility with a capable shooting stroke. He has shot 37% from the field, 30% on 3-pointers and 65% at the free throw line for his collegiate career after averaging 22.6 points as a high school senior.
Part of what drew Cherry to GCU was the chance to play with Lopes point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., who was the WAC Tournament MVP when the Lopes won the title to advance to their first NCAA tournament. Cherry knows Blacksher from club basketball in Oakland, California, where Blacksher grew up before moving to Phoenix for high school.
"I just watched the way he plays and the way he conducts the team," Cherry said of Blacksher's cool, all-business demeanor. "To see it in real life and real action, I was like, 'Oh, yeah, this is exactly who I wanted to play with.' At ASU, I don't think I was tapped in offensively as much as I could've been and I wasn't really asserting myself. At GCU, I can show I have an offensive arsenal to match my defensive intensity."
Both sides of Cherry's game have come out in flashes, whether it be the Oregon game when he made five 3-pointers or the Kansas game where he made four steals.
"I'm going to play hard and play to win," Cherry said. "I don't care about my individual stats. I just want to win games. I'm going to give all my energy toward winning and hopefully we can win a lot of ball games. That's the main thing I'm focused on, getting our team wins and getting us back to the (NCAA) tournament. Everything going's north for GCU right now. It's a great choice and a great school."
Cherry also was attracted by one of the Lopes behind the scenes. He had watched GCU director of sports performance Jordan Jackson in his previous role with California basketball and saw the difference he made with the Lopes in one year.
"I'm a twig so I've got to get in the weight room now," Cherry said. "I've got to get bigger and stronger so I can bounce down there with the big boys. Just knowing the strength coach can make me better makes it a win-win in every scenario. His energy is outstanding. That's why I need, somebody to get me jump-started in the weight room."
Cherry even has been to Midnight Madness at GCU in the past. He might get to be a part of the first one since 2019, as he prepares for his Lopes debut this fall.
"I've seen how big the program has been at the school since I was in high school," Cherry said. "The program is just awesome. The fan support is awesome. I've learned how much Coach Drew and the staff want to develop a relationship with every single player on the team."
Cherry's next game also will be at GCU Arena, where the ASU transfer feels like he can tap into how much he misses the game and how touted he was nationally as a 2018 four-star recruit.
Cherry, the 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from El Cajon, California, already plays with a high-revving motor. Combine how much he misses the game and how electric GCU Arena can be and Cherry is expecting to hit another gear for his two remaining seasons with the Lopes."The atmosphere of basketball at GCU is crazy," Cherry said. "It seems like everything is geared toward basketball. That was a big thing. Coach (Bryce) Drew and his staff are a great staff and they know what they're doing. They want to make me get better. That's what my main focus was in picking a school, trying to get as best I can to get to a professional level."
Cherry was rated as a top-35 prospect by four recruiting outlets when he came to ASU. He made 17 career starts, played in 62 games and posted averages of 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game over three seasons.
"We are thrilled that Taeshon will be joining the GCU family," GCU head coach Bryce Drew said. "Taeshon brings great experience into our program, as well as perimeter shooting and versaility on the defensive end."
The Sun Devils were 9-1 when he scored 10 or more points and he did not make a turnover in seven games last season, but his season ended in mid-December for personal reasons. Cherry said his anxiety was heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The last 16 games that I sat out made me realize how much I miss basketball," Cherry said. "It's like high school again. I want to be in the gym 24/7 now. I think that can happen to a whole different level when I go to GCU.
"It's like a weight off my back. I just got a new start, new coaching staff, new teammates. I get to start over on a new fresh page. I get to show everybody that I'm ready to work and ready to make an impact as soon as I hit the court. I'm really excited. I can't wait to get to GCU."
Cherry started last season with an 11-point, five-rebound, one-steal game against Rhode Island and played a season-high 22 minutes in ASU's 71-70 win on Dec. 13 in front of 354 people at GCU.
"We were talking about it after the game, how it was still crazy and that loud even with that many people," Cherry said. "That atmosphere is different. I can't wait to be a part of it, especially the Havocs. It's going to be fun. I feed off the crowd all the time."
That comes through most in Cherry's defensive intensity, which gives off an energy that can be infectious with teammates. He is still aiming to fulfill his potential offensive versatility with a capable shooting stroke. He has shot 37% from the field, 30% on 3-pointers and 65% at the free throw line for his collegiate career after averaging 22.6 points as a high school senior.
Part of what drew Cherry to GCU was the chance to play with Lopes point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., who was the WAC Tournament MVP when the Lopes won the title to advance to their first NCAA tournament. Cherry knows Blacksher from club basketball in Oakland, California, where Blacksher grew up before moving to Phoenix for high school.
"I just watched the way he plays and the way he conducts the team," Cherry said of Blacksher's cool, all-business demeanor. "To see it in real life and real action, I was like, 'Oh, yeah, this is exactly who I wanted to play with.' At ASU, I don't think I was tapped in offensively as much as I could've been and I wasn't really asserting myself. At GCU, I can show I have an offensive arsenal to match my defensive intensity."
Both sides of Cherry's game have come out in flashes, whether it be the Oregon game when he made five 3-pointers or the Kansas game where he made four steals.
"I'm going to play hard and play to win," Cherry said. "I don't care about my individual stats. I just want to win games. I'm going to give all my energy toward winning and hopefully we can win a lot of ball games. That's the main thing I'm focused on, getting our team wins and getting us back to the (NCAA) tournament. Everything going's north for GCU right now. It's a great choice and a great school."
Cherry also was attracted by one of the Lopes behind the scenes. He had watched GCU director of sports performance Jordan Jackson in his previous role with California basketball and saw the difference he made with the Lopes in one year.
"I'm a twig so I've got to get in the weight room now," Cherry said. "I've got to get bigger and stronger so I can bounce down there with the big boys. Just knowing the strength coach can make me better makes it a win-win in every scenario. His energy is outstanding. That's why I need, somebody to get me jump-started in the weight room."
Cherry even has been to Midnight Madness at GCU in the past. He might get to be a part of the first one since 2019, as he prepares for his Lopes debut this fall.
"I've seen how big the program has been at the school since I was in high school," Cherry said. "The program is just awesome. The fan support is awesome. I've learned how much Coach Drew and the staff want to develop a relationship with every single player on the team."
Making it 𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡. Welcome to GCU, @tcherry002! #LopesUp
— GCU Men's Basketball (@GCU_MBB) April 20, 2021
📰 » https://t.co/T97AaGEuTJ pic.twitter.com/9X7QMzw20O
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