BASKETBALL
Ex-Hog commit Perry lands in SEC
It didn't take former Arkansas basketball commit Reggie Perry long to find a new home. And it's in the same conference.
The 6-10, 225-pound Perry -- a five-star prospect per ESPN.com -- announced Monday he had pledged to Mississippi State, where his father, Al, played college basketball.
He cited following in his father's footsteps as one of the main factors in his decision.
Perry, one of five Arkansas Hawks 17-and-under teammates who was committed to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, decommitted from the Razorbacks on July 5th with his mom saying the decision was related to his father's health.
"Unfortunately, due to his father's health, he made the very tough decision to decommit from Arkansas this evening with Coach A," said Kimberli Perry, Reggie's mother. "This is a decision that he has been wrestling with for some time now. He is saddened by letting the Arkansas fans down, however [he] felt this was the best decision for himself and our family."
His father, Al Perry, played point guard for Mississippi State from 1974-1978 and led the SEC in assists in 1975 and 1976. He was an assistant coach for 18 years at Murray State, Indiana State, Niagara and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, among others.
The Razorbacks have 2018 commitments from Fort Smith Northside guard Isaiah Joe (6-4, 170), Jonesboro guard Desi Sills (6-1, 170) and Little Rock Parkview forward Ethan Henderson (6-9, 190), as well as a 2019 pledge from Little Rock Christian point guard Justice Hill (5-11, 160).
-- Dudley Dawson
BASEBALL
ASU hires pitching coach
Arkansas State University Coach Tommy Raffo announced the hiring of Rowdy Hardy as pitching coach Monday.
Hardy, 34, has spent the past five seasons at New Mexico Military Institute under Chris Cook, a former ASU assistant coach. He had a six-year stint in the minor leagues with the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves organizations.
Hardy pitched at Austin Peay from 2004-2006 and was the 2004 Ohio Valley Conference rookie of the year.
WRESTLING
Crutchmer named OBU coach
Kevin Crutchmer was hired Monday as Ouachita Baptist University's new wrestling coach.
Crutchmer, 46, has served as head coach at Union High School in Tulsa since 2008 and has been a committee member of USA Wrestling since 2014.
At Union, Crutchmer's teams produced 13 individual state champions, 35 state placers and 15 nationally ranked wrestlers. He led Union to two team state championships in 2008 and 2011.
GOLF
Junior match-play medalists named
Blain Calhoon of Ward and Josie Roberson of Maumelle earned medalist honors Monday at the Arkansas State Golf Association's Junior Match-Play Championship at Eagle Hill Golf and Athletic Club in Little Rock.
Calhoon shot a 5-under 67 to lead the field and earn the tournament's top seed. Hunter Hickingbotham of Little Rock was second (68), while Connor Gaunt of Cabot and Parker Jennings of Marion tied for third with a 69.
Roberson rallied from a 4-over 40 on the front side with a 4-under 32 on the back to finish with an even-par 72. She'll carry the No. 2 seed into match play as defending champion Brooke Matthews of Rogers automatically earned the top seed and did not need to qualify.
Match play in each division begins this morning. The girls final is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, while the boys championship is set for 1:30 that afternoon.
-- Democrat-Gazette Press Services
Sports on 07/18/2017