Busy summer prepares Bachynski for basketball season

When Arizona State's Jordan Bachynski, the junior center for the Sun Devils basketball team, returned to Tempe this fall, he had just come off a very busy summer schedule that included a trip to China, where he played nine games in just 11 days, and an invitation to join the Canada National Development Team, which competed in a separate China trip and the World University Games in Russia.

Despite the grueling travel and game schedule, the Calgary native said he loved every minute of it.

"I was able to receive coaching all summer, which is really tough to get in college basketball ... in the summer, as you know, the coaches aren't allowed to coach their players and I was able to be with NBA guys and great coaches, and I received a lot of great input," Bachynski told writer Byron Kline of DevilsDigest.com.

ASU basketball opens its season Nov. 8, and Bachynski says he's ready and can't wait to get started.

"Slimmer, stronger, and with a wealth of new knowledge and experience, Bachynski hopes to help lead the Sun Devils back towards the top of the Pac-12 in 2013," Kline writes.