Unibrows are always cool, even if UK (and Anthony Davis) won’t make the Tournament this year.
I know, I know … We’re like that annoying friend you rarely hear from, and when you do he wants to borrow your truck or need fifty bucks. But you go ahead and help him out because, as you look around at your life and approaching middle-age, you realize he’s one of the few friends you have. I mean…I’m just speculating.
That may, in fact, be our new motto here at BlogHawgs.com.
We’re loading up for another NCAA Tournament Challenge. Most of you have ESPN.com accounts by now, but if you do not yet have one you’ll need to create one. We have not yet discussed what the winner will receive this year. I think Adam is out of head shots, so a signed picture of his uni-brow is not in the cards. How about this: the winner gets a free space on BlogHawgs.com to rant-and-rave about whatever he/she chooses. The winner can pick the time, date, and topic. We get free content, and you get to whine & complain to dozens of people. I can’t think of anything more perfect.
Little Rock Hall senior Bobby Portis (6’10 225), one of the most highly decorated Arkansas Razorbacks basketball signees of the last 20 years, received a super-sized accolade, today, when he was one of 24 prep seniors named to the prestigious McDonald’s All-American game.
The game will be held on April 3rd at the United Center in Chicago.
Ranked a 5-star prospect and the 17th-best player in the 2013 Class per Scout.com, Portis has also been selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic on April 3rd and the Nike Hoop Summit on April 20th.
He and fellow Arkansas signee Moses Kingsley (6-9, 225)(the 39th-best player in the 2013 Class according Scout.com) should be a formidable frontcourt duo next season on The Hill.
Mike Anderson signed his first class as the head coach of the University of Arkansas this past week. We all know what type of style Coach A is bringing back home. The freshman class on the Hill gives Coach A as good of a foundation as he could have wished for. The incoming guys for next year each fill a specific role for Coach A.
I’ve read and heard some comments about the rankings of the guys we signed. Basketball recruiting can be even more fickle than football recruiting. Basketball stars, rankings and even All-American games can depend more on where you’re from and what school you are committed to rather than your actual ability to play basketball. It explains how Joe Johnson was not a McDonald’s All-American even thoough he had offers Duke, Kentucky, UCONN, Michigan and Texas. I’m quite positive had Joe committed to Duke that year he would have been on Ronald’s squad since Duke had four of them on it including Casey Sanders (go figure). Forgive me… I digress.
I thought a little breakdown of our 2012 class was warranted and could be helpful.
JaCorey Williams. 6′ 8″, 190 lbs. Small Forward. Adamsville, AL
A 6’8″ lefty who handles the rock and has range? Yes please! JaCorey’s two star ranking has left many scratching their heads. He did have an offer from Alabama and it appears from reading about him that many other schools were worried about him qualifying. That doesn’t really explain his two star rating, but we just need to be glad this kid flew under the radar. I’ll tell you what I love about JaCorey. He loves to put the rock on the floor for one to two dribbles and then pull up from 10-15 feet. Who does that anymore? Grant Hill, Kevin Durant and Joe Johnson are about the only ones I can think of. He is a small framed kid who is not a banger, but has a super soft jumpshot. I think he is absolutely going to kill it in Coach A’s system. Have I mentioned I love watching him?
Labeling Bell as a shooting guard is kind of an understatement. Pastner is going to regret letting this kid get out of Memphis. It seems like the Tiger fans agree with me from their postings on their board. Not only are they upset about not recruiting him hard enough (Pastner apparently thought he had him in his back pocket and had not offered), but they are upset about “reviving Arkansas’ pipeline from Memphis to Fayetteville”. Bell is a three point specialist who can get his shot off anytime he wants. I read an article about Bell leading his Memphis YOMCA AAU team to an overtime win over Julius Randle’s (#1 player in the country) AAU Team in the Finals of the Nike Peach Jam Tournament. Bell went 7 of 9 from the arc and scored all of his team’s points in OT.
Michael Qualls. 6′ 5″ 180 lbs. Small Forward. Shreveport, LA
Quite simply, Qualls is a freak of nature who loves to dunk on people. It also appears that his high school team loves to play up tempo and press. He is going to fit in beautifully. His jump shot kind of looks like Brett Kincaid’s (although to be fair, if Qualls had Brett’s swing he would have gone in the MLB draft) and that is what kept him from being a four or even five star player. I’m also very excited to see this kid in a Hog uniform. I predict him catching many oops from Madden and Young. Qualls wanted to be an LSU Tiger, but Trent Johnson inexplicably never offered. Qualls jumped (zinger) on the opportunity to play for Coach Anderson and his style.
This class is not going to lead the country in ratings, but it contains the perfect mix of talent to go along with what Coach A already has on the Hill. Let’s remember that we signed 9 four star players from 2005-2008. What do we have to show for it?
In an attempt to make up for his DaVinci Code-esque “At the BlogHawg Offices” from yesterday, Kris Boyd helps us out today with a pretty cool hoops story. This is one of those things that can only happen at a small, parochial school. It’s a great tradition, and the students really seem to get behind the idea.
Pajama-clad students, faculty and alumni packed Odle Arena on Friday night for Taylor’s home game against Ohio State-Marion. They remained dead silent until guard Casey Coons scored Taylor’s 10th point at the free-throw line and then they erupted in confetti-filled mayhem for five straight minutes, as though the tiny NAIA Indiana school had just captured a national championship.
If this happened at UA, though, I’m afraid it would take an ugly turn. How long would it actually take to get to 10 points? Which sorority would come in the sluttiest pajamas available? (Okay…perhaps that’s a reason for adopting the tradition.) How many zealots would show up to tell everyone they are worshiping a pagan holiday and going to hell for not having a live nativity at Bud Walton Arena?
And it’s hard enough getting a Hog Call coordinated these days. How on earth could they get everyone to sing “Silent Night” in unison?
