FAYETTEVILLE — Not only will the current Arkansas football team be in Little Rock on Saturday, but also the future of the Razorback basketball team.
The five Arkansas Hawks basketball players that have committed to the Razorbacks will have an open workout Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at the Jim Dailey Fitness and Aquatics Center in Little Rock.
That venue is located at 300 South Monroe Street, which is between War Memorial Stadium and the Little Rock Zoo.
“It is an open workout that is free to the public, will last about an hour and will give Arkansas fans and Razorback Nation a chance to see what the Razorback basketball program has coming,” Hawks organizer Bill Ingram said. “We want the fans to be able to put a face with these young men who are excited about playing for their state and their university.”
The quintet of Hawks are 2018 prospects are forward Reggie Perry (6-foot-10, 225 pounds) of Douglasville, Ga., Little Rock Parkview Ethan Henderson (6-9, 190), Fort Smith Northside Isaiah Joe (6-2, 170) and Jonesboro point guard Desi Sills (6-1, 170) as well as 2019 Little Rock Christian point guard Justice Hill (5-10, 160).
“Reggie and his family were going to be visiting friends and family in Memphis so it seemed like a great time for him to come on over to Little Rock to see a football game and see his teammates,” Ingram said. “This is a kid who has spent more time in Arkansas than any other state so we consider him an Arkansan as well.”
The Razorbacks have had a recruiting revival with those five prospects as well as three 2017 pledges in El Dorado center Daniel Gafford (6-10. 223), Little Rock Parkview combo guard Khalil Garland (6-6, 190) and Little Rock Mills small forward Darius Hall (6-7, 210).
“The Arkansas staff has done a great job at recruiting and getting all these kids committed at a time when we have some of the best classes in a row that this state has ever seen,” Ingram said. “We might have one great class and then not another great class until three years later.”
The Razorbacks, whose 2017 class is top 10 nationally and the 2018 class ranked atop the rankings, have lost Arkansas prep standouts Archie Goodwin and Malik Monk to Kentucky and KeVaughn Allen to Florida in recent years.
“The fact that Arkansas is landing these kids in state that all have SEC schools and Power 5 offers comes at a crucial time,” Ingram said. “They have put a fence around the state in these classes.
“That’s made even bigger when you consider all the 2017 kids are four-star guys, the 2018 guys are four-stars and in some ranking services Reggie is a five star and then you have one of the best 2019 kids nationally.”
Ingram was quick to point out that the eight pledges in the next three class have one thing in common.
“They are all from Arkansas and all have that state pride,” Ingram said. “The best teams we have had at Arkansas have all had great high school players from Arkansas on it, except that team with Todd Day and Lee Mayberry.
“It just means more to them.”
Dudley Dawson can be reached at ddawson@nwadg.com.