Power forward Dontay Bassett of Oldsmar (Fla.) Christian School has been on Arkansas' radar for quite some time, and Coach Mike Anderson visited his school a week ago and extended a scholarship offer.
"Coach Anderson came and watched me work out," Bassett said. "It really felt good that they offered me. They're a great program, and I was happy to get an offer."
Bassett, 6-9, 210 pounds, has approximately 15 other scholarship offers from schools that include Mississippi State, Colorado, Oregon State, South Florida, Kansas State and Virginia Tech.
College coaches were able to hit the road recruiting Sept. 9, and two days later Anderson made his way to see Bassett.
"He said he liked how I ran the floor and I was able to score in the post and knock down perimeter shots and I was a good teammate," Bassett said. "He said I actually reminded him Bobby Portis in his high school senior year. That meant a lot."
Bassett didn't have the opportunity to showcase his talent because of a bruised bone in his left knee, which likely cost him several scholarship offers, but Bassett made a negative into a positive.
"It made me hungrier and it also made me shoot better because this summer I was in the gym form shooting, shooting free throws and working soft touches around the basket," Bassett said.
Bassett said his strengths are rebounding, the ability to hit the mid-range jumper and from beyond the three-point line, and a good post game. He has the intangibles Anderson and his staff like to recruit.
"They'll be impressed by how hard I play," Bassett said. "Every play I'm giving a 100 percent. I'm a great teammate. I'm hungry to learn the game. I love learning, and I love getting better in the gym, in the weight room."
He said he and Anderson discussed an official visit in October but no date has been set. He said schools like Arkansas, Florida, South Florida, Colorado and Oregon State stand out.
"I'm still open to other offers too," he said. "I just want to make sure I have the best opportunities."
ANDERSON HOSTS 2
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson will host forward Eric Curry and point guard Jaylen Barford on official visits this weekend.
Curry, 6-9, 210 pounds, plays for Little Rock Southwest Christian Academy and has visited Minnesota and Iowa State. The visit to Fayetteville will be his last trip, and he will decide between the three schools.
Barford, 6-3, 205 pounds, plays for Motlow Community College in McMinnville, Tenn., and has more than 20 scholarship offers. He has narrowed his choices to Arkansas, Memphis, Missouri, Ole Miss and Xavier before Louisville recently started showing interest. He plans to visit Louisville next weekend.
RECEIVING INTEREST
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema and his staff will host two prospects for official visits this weekend.
Receivers Isaiah Graham of Bastrop, La., and Kiel Pollard of Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County are expected to arrive Saturday.
Graham, 6-1, 175 pounds, 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has approximately 20 scholarship offers from schools that include Arkansas, Miami, TCU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Nebraska and California. He has said Arkansas is his leader. He plans to announce his college decision Oct. 30.
Pollard, 6-2, 225, 4.68, has approximately 17 other scholarship offers from schools that include California, Central Florida, Wake Forest, Boston College and Cincinnati.
UA WOMEN HOST 3
The Arkansas women's basketball team also will host three prospects on official visits this weekend: Guard M'caela Sellers, 6-0, of Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kennedy, guard Jailyn Mason, 5-9, of Mason, Ohio, and forward Sydney Stout, 6-0, of Bixby, Okla.
E-mail Richard Davenport at
rdavenport@arkansasonline.com
Sports on 09/18/2015