Arizona Basketball: Six great Wildcats leave behind memorable careers

The Arizona Wildcats will be losing six great players this season. It’s only right we recognize them for what they have accomplished.

Zona six! The Arizona Basketball team will be losing six highly talented players this season: Deandre Ayton, Allonzo Trier, Rawle Alkins, Dusan Ristic, Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Keanu Pinder. Whether it has been an ESPN Top 10 dunk, critical three-point shots, blocking shots or finding their teammate for the open look, all of these players have had a significant impact in their respective roles.

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The hardest thing, not only for the player themselves but for the coaching staff, the program, and fans, is to see players leave, by choice or because they are a senior. But remembering what each player achieved as a Wildcat makes things much easier to deal with when that time comes.

Over the course of the career for each of these players, whether it was only one year or more, they each provided fans with memories that will never be forgotten.

Time to pay respect to these athletes, who truly represented what it meant to Bear Down. Starting with the GREAT Deandre Ayton.

Deandre Ayton

The GREATEST! Deandre Ayton will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, to have put on a Wildcat uniform. What he was able to do for his size was just unfair. There are times in our generation in which we are lucky enough to witness those who have god given abilities. One of those being Ayton.

I would be shocked if he didn’t get drafted as No.1 in the NBA Draft. If he does, Ayton would be the first Wildcat player ever to be picked as the No.1 pick. Ayton will be an immediate impact player for which ever lucky team gets to pick him.

In his first and only year as a Wildcat, his stat sheet was ridiculous! Ayton averaged 20.1 points a game, 11.6 rebounds per game, 1.6 assists per game and 1.9 blocks per game. He shot 61% from the field, 34.3% from beyond the arc and 73.3% from the free throw line.

What cannot be found in those stats is his is ability, as a 7-footer, to defend inside and out. There would be many times Ayton would find himself matching up against the other team’s guards with no problem. Say what?! What made him that much harder to guard was his precision passing out of double teams and triple teams.

Ayton received multiple honors and records this past year:

• Pac-12 player of the week twice
• Finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year
• Finalist for the Karl Malone Award (best power forward in college basketball)
• Pac-12 Player and Freshman of the Year
• Pac-12 All-Conference First team
• Pac-12 All-Defensive team
• Pac-12 All-Freshman team
• Pac-12 Conference Tournament MVP
• Set the single-season Wildcat record for the most double-doubles in a season with 24

Allonzo Trier

Zo time! What a three-year journey it has been for Allonzo Trier. From his freshman year to his junior year, Trier faced a lot of adversity and was able to face it head on with no problem. Each year his stats improved in every category, which is a result of the hard work he put in and the commitment to being a better player.

Playing alongside the like of Gabe York, Kadeem Allen, and Cartwright, Trier was able to understand what it took to be a great guard, but also what it would take to be the “go to” come crunch time. In his last season, Trier would be called upon many times to deliver under pressure or even fill in at the point guard position.

His sophomore season would define his career at Arizona.  Trier ended up having to sit out the first 19 games of the season due to the use of the ban substance, which seemed to motivate him. Zo finished out the season averaging 17.2 points per game and leading his team to the Sweet 16, where they lose against Xavier.

In Trier’s junior (and last season), he was one the leaders on the team. But as was the case his sophomore season, he faced more adversity. The NCAA banned him for two games in late February due to the ban substance remaining his system from a test done in January 2018. They ended up only finding what equates to six grains of sand in ten Olympic size pools, are you kidding me!

The support his teammates showed during this ban was AWESOME:

For his career, Zo averaged 16.8 points per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, 2.4 assists per game. His shooting percentages were outstanding. Trier shot 47.9% from the field, 37.8% from beyond the arc and 82.7% from the free throw line. At one point this season he was in the 40/50/90 club.

Zo’s honors during this career:

• All Pac-12 First-team in 2018
• All Pac-12 Second in 2017
• Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2017
• Was named to the Jerry West Top 20 Nominees early in the year, but then recently didn’t make the cut for the finalists. This award is given to the best shooting guards in the country, how is Zo NOT on this list?

Trier had many memorable moments, but this season he put on some crazy moves, including this personal favorite step back three against ASU:

https://twitter.com/sciguyrosen/status/964326206521798656

Rawle Alkins

Savage life! One of the most beloved Wildcat players since T.J. McConnell, Alkins brought intensity, passion and the desire to do whatever it took to help his team win. That’s why Coach Miller and Wildcat fans loved this guy!

Personally, he is one of my favorite Wildcat players of all time. How Alkins carried himself on and off the court can’t be taught. Whether it’s on the court, in the locker room, or wherever Alkins may find himself, he was always smiling. How can you not love this guy!!

Since his freshman season, the maturity level and understanding the process in which Coach Miller instills, Alkins just got it from day one. As a freshman, he was asked to play a big role for the Wildcats, and Alkins stepped up to the challenge. He started in all, but one game last season and had one the most memorable moments for the Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament.

Late in the first half against Saint Mary’s he had dislocated his right index finger. But Alkins living up to his favorite saying, savage life, he ended up coming back later in the half with his finger bandaged up and helped his team come back to win 69-60. What a warrior! That moment defined what it meant to Alkins to play at Arizona and what it meant to Bear Down.

Wait, it gets better! After the season ended, Alkins declared for the NBA Draft, but without an agent. He was invited to the NBA Combine, where he impressed a lot of scouts.

There were several things he was told he would need to work on, including cutting down his body fat. After everything was said and down, Alkins decided to play one more year for Coach Miller and the Wildcats.

In his junior season, Alkins faced adversity early on when he had broken his right foot and had to miss nine games. When he came back to play against Alabama at home, Wildcat fans showed their support and love for The King:

For his career, Alkins averaged 11.8 points per game, 4.9 rebounds per game and 2.2 assists per game. He was part of the 2016-17 All-Freshman Pac-12 team. If there were stats for hustle, Alkins would earn a 100%.  He even showed he has “mic” skills. This guy can do it all!

Dusan Ristic

Dussssss! Dusan Ristic had one of the most prolific careers in Wildcat basketball history. Not only did he stay four years, which is a rare thing nowadays, he also became the all-time winningest player in program history this season, surpassing Matt Muehlelbach and Kaleb Tarczewski. Ristic also went out in style in his last game at McKale Center, revealing his love for the city of Tucson. Dusan loves Tucson!

The overall improvement in Ristic’s game from his freshman year to his senior year is remarkable. He went from not starting a single game to becoming a key starter and big man alongside Ayton this season for the Wildcats. Many fans, myself including, have had this love and hate relationship with Ristic over the years. This year though, it’s been more love!

Early on in his playing career, he would have a hard time just catching the ball or finishing easy shots down low. His senior year has been a completely different story. The arsenal of moves Ristic put on his display was impressive. Not just the moves, but also the confidence he had was on another level as the season progressed.

Ristic was so confident that he was knocking down three-point shots and long-range jumpers with ease. Plus, you could tell this year he was having fun more than anything else, which was great to see.

Left and right-hand hook shots. Drop step moves with both hands. Jump shots. Three-point shots. Dunks. Blocks. Dribbling the ball up the floor. Spin moves. Dus did it all!

For his career, Ristic averaged 8.4 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game.  This season, he earned himself a Pac-12 Player of the Week honor and also became the 28th player in Wildcat history to record 1000 points and 500 rebounds. Duuuuuus, we are going to miss you truly.

Parker Jackson-Cartwright

PJC played the role this year of the starting point guard, one of the most important positions there is. On a team full of talent, it was up to the 5-foot-8 senior from Los Angeles to get everyone involved and that he did.

Cartwright has been lucky enough to watch, learn, practice and play alongside former great Wildcat point guards; Allen, McConnell, and York, who have all gone to have successful professional careers. This prior experience helped Cartwright take the role of floor general this season.

From his freshman to his senior season, Cartwright had a similar journey as Ristic. He began his freshman year starting in zero games And ended up starting every game in his senior year. Along the way, he faced a few bumps in the road.

One of those bumps being his junior season, when he suffered a high right ankle sprain and had to sit out six games. That didn’t stop Cartwright from playing with the same style of fierceness and toughness through the remaining part of the season and helped his team all the way to Sweet 16.

In his senior season, Cartwright fought through every screen, made timely steals and three-point shots and played with a sense of no fear. Today’s game is being taken over by 7-footers, so its refreshing to see someone under 6-foot command the presence Cartwright did.

For his career, Cartwright averaged 5.5 points per game, 2.0 rebounds per game and 3.4 assists per game. PJC didn’t light up the stat sheet, but what he did for this team this season and previous season was essential to their overall success.

Keanu Pinder

The man from down under! Keanu Pinder only played two seasons as a Wildcat, but what he brought to this team was flat out awesome! His scrappiness, toughness, hustle for every loose ball, one hand dunks and ridiculous blocks is what made him a key player off the bench.

He only started one game as Wildcat and averaged 11.3 minutes per game, but that did NOT stop Pinder from taking advantage of his time on the court. I’m a self-believer that every team needs to have at least one player like Pinder, that one player who provides that much-needed spark, that one player who is not afraid to get down and dirty. Pinder never played with fear. His confidence was welcome and contagious.

For his career, Pinder averaged 2.3 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game.  HIs senior season he some memorable moments, including this block early on in non-conference play against UMBC. What was that player even thinking?!

https://twitter.com/KeanuPinder28/status/948013162195861504

Must Read: Arizona Basketball: Wildcats 2017-18 season in review

At Zona Zealots, we would like to thank these six players for what they have done and contributed to this program. The tradition and legacy continue on, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings. Bear Down!