FAYETTEVILLE — Some thoughts about Arkansas’ four-game tour of Spain.
The Razorbacks went 3-1 and won their three games by an average of 42 points, playing overmatched Spanish college and club teams the final three games. Level of competition has to be taken into account. Also, Mike Anderson used the four games to substitute freely and try out a ton of different lineup combinations. Everyone got to play.
Obviously not everything (or even the majority of what transpired) will translate back to the states and the upcoming season, thanks to the level of competition, the small sample size, it being August and Anderson treating these games as practice runs. But there were still interesting storylines that popped up. Here are a few.
CJ Jones, scoring machine
Jones was the star of the week. The 6-foot-5 freshman guard went off in Spain, averaging 14 points in just 12.3 minutes per game. That equates to 45.7 points per 40 minutes, which far eclipses Dusty Hannahs (24.4), the Razorbacks’ leading scorer last year, as well as Buddy Hield (28.3) and Ben Simmons (22.0). Obviously the competition in Spain was relatively weak and Jones isn’t anywhere near the level of two top-six NBA Draft picks — their numbers just put in perspective how much 45.7 per 40 is. And while those gaudy numbers won’t translate, Jones had an encouraging trip, to be certain, one that makes it seem like he could provide a scoring spark in spurts off the bench this year.
It’s important to note that Jones got a ton of shots up in his relatively limited playing time, averaging 31 attempts per 40 minutes, which far surpasses Hield (18), Hannahs (17.6) and Simmons (13.4). But the high-volume shooting is an encouraging for a true freshman on a team with plenty of more-experienced backcourt depth. He floated around at times in pre-Spain practices, so his aggressiveness overseas in actual game situations is a positive.
Jones shot the ball well, too, shooting 53 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range on 18 attempts. He had two scoring eruptions, going for 18 points in 12 minutes in the second game, then capping the trip by scoring 23 in 18. He hit three 3-pointers in both.
Parts of his game are still raw and he has experience ahead of him, but he has the highest ceiling on the team thanks to his unique blend of height, athleticism (best on the team) and shooting touch. Even with the upperclassmen in the backcourt, it seems plausible he can carve out a role as a sparkplug scorer. If he can bring the scoring touch he had in Spain back across the Atlantic, he’ll have a role as a freshman. Long-term, his future appears very bright.
Turnovers galore
The main benefit of the trip was that it allowed a roster blending so many new faces a chance to play together in actual games ahead of November. It’s invaluable. And the four games showed why it should help aid the learning curve as freshmen, JUCOs and returners mesh together. Turnovers were an issue, with Arkansas averaging 19.5 per game, well up from the 11.1 it averaged last year.
Obviously reducing the shot clock from 30 seconds to 24 is partly responsible for the huge uptick, yet the Razorbacks stilled turned the ball over on 20.7 percent of their possessions, way up from 15.3 a year ago, a number which ranked 20th in the nation. The 20.7 percent would have tied for 316th out of 351 Division I teams a year ago and came against generally weak competition. It is important to note that our Dudley Dawson reported that some of the turnover issues stemmed from traveling violations that may not have been called in the states. That’s not shocking — international rules don’t allow players as much freedom of movement as they catch the basketball.
JUCO transfer Jaylen Barford averaged 4.3 assists per game but also turned it over 3.8 times a game and had more turnovers than assists in two of the four games. Daryl Macon had eight assists and seven turnovers in the four games. They’re the likely primary ballhandlers on the starting unit, so getting this practice run was highly beneficial as they get acclimated to their new teammates.
Thomas’ well-rounded floor game
Dustin Thomas started the final three games of the trip as part of what is likely Mike Anderson’s best five: Thomas, Barford, Hannahs, Macon and Moses Kingsley. The Colorado transfer averaged a modest 8.8 points (scored eight three times) on 57 percent shooting. He also averaged 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists, solid numbers in only 17.5 minutes per as Anderson got everyone some run.
I’ve already written at length about how I think he is Arkansas’ best fit next to Kingsley. Kingsley, by the way, averaged 7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while shooting 46 percent in 21.5 minutes per game.
Perimeter shooting woes
Dusty Hannahs and Daryl Macon are almost certainly going to lead Arkansas in 3-pointers taken and made this year, but the duo had a rough shooting week. Before they combined to hit 6-10 in the fourth and final game, they were shooting a combined 20 percent from 3-point range (5-25). So they wound up shooting 31 percent from deep for the trip. As a whole, Arkansas shot just 30.8 percent from 3, including 24.1 percent before hitting 11-24 in the finale. Without Jones’ 9-18 performance, the rest of the team shot 25 percent from 3 on the trip.
Not a great week for a team that figures to have more capable shooters. But those numbers probably aren’t worth getting too worked up about. The international ball is different, more slippery and therefore tougher to grip, than the one used in the states. Even Team USA, most notably Klay Thompson, has struggled with it at times in the Olympics. Bad shooting week, but this team is banking on having more respectable perimeter shooters than it did a year ago, with Hannahs and Macon leading the way.
Bailey activity
Adrio Bailey only averaged 10.8 minutes per game on the trip, but he got plenty done in his limited time on the floor, averaging 8 points, 5.5 rebounds (2.5 offensive) and 1.3 blocks per game.
His activity in pre-trip practices was impressive and it looks like it’s safe to say it carried over. He had a number of highlight-reel dunks that further the notion that he’ll fill the shoes Michael Qualls left as a SportsCenter regular in his Razorback career. His elite athleticism made him a matchup nightmare for overwhelmed Spanish competition, but that athleticism and his motor will be a ticket to playing time as a freshman.
Thompson’s deference
Junior Trey Thompson shot the ball effectively and with range in pre-trip practices, giving the impression that he would assert himself more on the offensive end after easily ranking last on the team in shot attempts per 40 minutes as a sophomore.
It didn’t translate to Europe. He only took six shots (made three) in four games, averaging 2.8 points in 15 minutes per. His 4 shots per 40 minutes were even less than last year. Arkansas has more weapons on offense than it did a year ago and Thompson’s best asset is his passing ability, but being a non-threat makes it tougher to play him big minutes.
Beard’s distribution
Anton Beard totaled 16 assists against seven turnovers the final three games of the trip while coming off the bench, encouraging distribution for a player who averaged 1.7 assists per game while leading Arkansas’ bench unit a year ago. This season, Beard should be playing with better talent around and won’t be playing catch up thanks to participating in the full offseason.
The Razorbacks need him to return to the form he had as a freshman during SEC play. He has a knack for maneuvering his way into the paint, which in theory should free up others for easy looks.
Why none of these numbers reaaally matter moving forward
Arkansas was outrebounded 46-36 in its first game, an 81-75 loss to Euro Colegio Casvi. Obviously rebounding has been an issue at times for Anderson’s teams. Well, the next three games, Arkansas outrebounded its opponents by an average of 60-33. That’s unreal and speaks to the huge disparity in athleticism and size in the blowout wins. The Razorbacks are bigger and more athletic than they were a year ago, but they won’t be confused for Kentucky on the boards.
In the final three wins, Arkansas also allowed just 65.6 points per 100 possessions, another incredible number which shows the huge gulf in ability separating the Hogs and their competition. Wichita State led the nation at 88.8 last season.
This is why it’s important to understand the results in Spain shouldn’t be seen as predictors for the upcoming season. Sure, there are some takeaways to be gleaned from the trip and it clearly gives Anderson and his staff some added knowledge of how the roster fits in game situations. But there’s a reason he said the practices before the trip were more important than the trip itself.
But talking about any basketball is better than talking about no basketball, amirite. Here’s to hoping October gets here soon.