Key Hog This Year

[bigdaddyhawg]

Jabril Durham.  We really need him to step his game up big time. 

With Beard gone, Durham is our only true PG, and a senior.  We need him to improve a lot from last year.

IF, IF, IF he can do that, we might have a chance on offense.  If he can penetrate and dish, which he has showed flashes of, we could have two really good shooters on the wing ready to knock down J's -- two of Bell/Whitt/Hannahs.

That alone could be the basis of an offense good enough for us to be competitive and possibly win more games than most of us think.

Also, if he can step his defense up a notch (or two) his defending the point could make a ton of difference for us.  One of my concerns about Beard was whether he was quick enough to be a true defender, but I know Durham has the quickness.  Can Mike/staff get him to that place?

We need you Jabril!!  Make us proud!!

[TomBigBeeHog]

Beard's not gone yet.

[ricepig]

Prosecuting Attorney.

[Big Nasty 34]

I think Durham will have a very nice senior year. I think another key with him will be how well he connects with Kingsley and Koussai. He really liked the pick and roll game with BP, we need him to get the bigs some easy buckets this year.

[psooie]

Looks like a 4 guard and 1 center outfit this season. That did work for Villanova

[azhog10]

Prosecuting Attorney.

Amen!

[PonderinHog]

Amen!

Defense

[ricepig]

Defense

Only if the glove fits.

[bigdaddyhawg]

Looks like a 4 guard and 1 center outfit this season. That did work for Villanova

I kind of cringed when I read your comparison here.  Those four guards were very, very good basketball players.

[azhog10]

Looks like a 4 guard and 1 center outfit this season. That did work for Villanova

Villanova started two forwards and three guards. Hart the 6'5 sophomore was their 6th man off the bench. 

[hawginbigd1]

Can we say the walk-ons that allow us to have a full team to practice!

[Hoggard]

This team is Whitts IMO.

[maxhog5]

Of course, I hope he makes all conference this year, but truthfully if you look at this team at this point and Durham is the key to the season then it is going to be a bad year at Bud Walton.

[PonderinHog]

If Moses breaks out, I'd be fine with that.

[maxhog5]

If Moses breaks out, I'd be fine with that.

Realistically, this and Whitt being BJ Young or Scotty Thurman good as a freshman is the only way Arkansas will be competitive this year.  Unless there is a Beard impersonator running around passing counterfeit money and somebody sent the NCAA the wrong transcript.

[PonderinHog]

Whitt having a big year won't surprise me.  Kingsley having a big year may very well make or break us.

[mhuff]

Whitt having a big year won't surprise me.  Kingsley having a big year may very well make or break us.

I think Thompson will surprise. Babb and Thompson should have gotten more playing time last year

[TrueBlue]

Key Hog this year? Not even close: CMA. - needs to get 'cruitin some men as Grandmama once said....

[scruf]

Without a doubt it's Anthlon Bell. He's going to play about 32-36 minutes a game and will need to average 14-16ppg for the Hogs to even be competitive. Doubling his scoring average from a year ago will be tough but he will have a green light that you haven't seen at Arkansas since Rotnei Clarke was going nuclear winter on cupcake opponents. I'm not comparing the two players in terms of style, Clarke was the better shooter but Bell, at 6'3", has a chance to get to move more of his game inside the perimeter and score some easy points from the free-throw line. For him to be successful there he'll need to shoot at an 80%+ rate, something he achieved as a sophomore (80%) but fell short of as a junior (71%). His intensity on the defensive end will need to match his effort on offense. It's a tall order.



While it's essential that Bell be better, incoming freshman Jimmy Whitt will need to have a Lee Mayberry-like freshman year and average around 12ppg/5apg and be active in the passing lanes on defense in order to take the pressure off of the Hogs' only proven scorer. Bell and Whitt have a chance to be one of the splashier 1-2 punches in the backcourt and will likely need to have a third guard (Hannahs, Watkins or Durham) chip in with some productive minutes. I think the starting five will end up being Bell, Whitt, Durham, Moses and Miles with Watkins, Hannahs and Thompson off the bench.

If Arkansas goes small ball, the best scoring five would be Bell, Whitt, Hannahs, Watkins and Kingsley but they would absolutely get destroyed on the glass. That said, if they get hot, they could pull off an upset or two. At this point, the NIT would be a major coup.

[trok24]

guys, new poster but  been reading here a lonnnnggg time...this years team will all but rely on one factor. not a player...it will be just how good of pressure defense and how many easy baskets can they get per game without getting in foul trouble cuz unless jimmy whitt is magic johnson jr?? we will be limited offensively. JMO

[Dominicanhog]

Jabril Durham.  We really need him to step his game up big time. 

With Beard gone, Durham is our only true PG, and a senior.  We need him to improve a lot from last year.

IF, IF, IF he can do that, we might have a chance on offense.  If he can penetrate and dish, which he has showed flashes of, we could have two really good shooters on the wing ready to knock down J's -- two of Bell/Whitt/Hannahs.

That alone could be the basis of an offense good enough for us to be competitive and possibly win more games than most of us think.

Also, if he can step his defense up a notch (or two) his defending the point could make a ton of difference for us.  One of my concerns about Beard was whether he was quick enough to be a true defender, but I know Durham has the quickness.  Can Mike/staff get him to that place?

We need you Jabril!!  Make us proud!!

This is my thought as well.. he looked the more poised play maker during the late season and juco's take a little time... I look for a big year.. the other is Moses... if those two have good years, we'll have nice team.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

Without a doubt it's Anthlon Bell. He's going to play about 32-36 minutes a game and will need to average 14-16ppg for the Hogs to even be competitive. Doubling his scoring average from a year ago will be tough but he will have a green light that you haven't seen at Arkansas since Rotnei Clarke was going nuclear winter on cupcake opponents. I'm not comparing the two players in terms of style, Clarke was the better shooter but Bell, at 6'3", has a chance to get to move more of his game inside the perimeter and score some easy points from the free-throw line. For him to be successful there he'll need to shoot at an 80%+ rate, something he achieved as a sophomore (80%) but fell short of as a junior (71%). His intensity on the defensive end will need to match his effort on offense. It's a tall order.



While it's essential that Bell be better, incoming freshman Jimmy Whitt will need to have a Lee Mayberry-like freshman year and average around 12ppg/5apg and be active in the passing lanes on defense in order to take the pressure off of the Hogs' only proven scorer. Bell and Whitt have a chance to be one of the splashier 1-2 punches in the backcourt and will likely need to have a third guard (Hannahs, Watkins or Durham) chip in with some productive minutes. I think the starting five will end up being Bell, Whitt, Durham, Moses and Miles with Watkins, Hannahs and Thompson off the bench.

If Arkansas goes small ball, the best scoring five would be Bell, Whitt, Hannahs, Watkins and Kingsley but they would absolutely get destroyed on the glass. That said, if they get hot, they could pull off an upset or two. At this point, the NIT would be a major coup.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VYkK10l9eD8

Video of Bell training in Mem

[UNCLE BACK]

Lorenzooooooooo Jenkins!!!!!!!!!

[nwahogfan1]

Is Whitt our back up PG this year? 

[nwahogfan1]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VYkK10l9eD8

Video of Bell training in Mem

Good report.  I love it that he is knows he must work on his dribbling skills to get open plus taking the ball to the basket and his mid range game.    If he really works on these skills then I can see him averaging 10+ a game.  I want to see it first but I also want to be hopeful.  We need him to shine.  I love upper classmen especially seniors because then know it is now or never.  Good report.

[Biggus Piggus]

The key one to me is Dusty Hannahs. He could change the backcourt situation a lot. Asking Jabril Durham to be vastly improved is a reach. I do expect Bell to be more physically ready to compete in the SEC than he's ever been + that could mean a good season. Bell can't do for the Hogs what Hannahs might. Hannahs can be a facilitator while also adding a deadly outside shot. Arkansas needs someone who makes others better, helps Bell and Whitt get their shots, encourages a smooth motion offense that finds big guys down low and kicks out to threes.

If Hannahs, Bell and Whitt are all plus shooters, Arkansas will have something most opponents lack. If the big man rotation brings a combination of power, shotblocking, defensive rebounding, and good conversion of close-up chances, Arkansas will have something most opponents lack.

It's not everything, but something to build on.

[scruf]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VYkK10l9eD8

Video of Bell training in Mem

Great find. His shot looks more fluid than at any time last year.

[bigdaddyhawg]

Great find. His shot looks more fluid than at any time last year.

It's a little easier to look fluid in your shooting when there's no one there to defend you.

[bigdaddyhawg]

Asking Jabril Durham to be vastly improved is a reach.

I didn't say vast improvement, but don't you think it's reasonable to expect a JC player to improve from year 1 to year 2?

[TomBigBeeHog]

Moses Kingsley, no question. He has to stay out of foul trouble. Plus, he needs to score more than just put backs and dunks. He needs to stay in position and not try to block every shot. If he is solid in the middle, that will be huge for us.

[Big Nasty 34]

It's a little easier to look fluid in your shooting when there's no one there to defend you.

Yeah, he can be a little slower/smoother with no D. Hopefully he puts up sustained big numbers this year.

[Razoryak]

Doobie ... I just wanted to post the name 

[HoopS]

I didn't say vast improvement, but don't you think it's reasonable to expect a JC player to improve from year 1 to year 2?

I do. It is not uncommon at all to see big jumps in year 2 for JC's.

[Biggus Piggus]

A player who shoots 20% from 2-point range only has so much improvement that is possible.

[HoopS]

That may prove to be true. But he played 10 MPG and that'll go up significantly. His .357% from 3 pt range and .786% from the free throw stripe suggests he can shoot the ball better than his percentage from within the arc suggests. In fact those percentages are better than Bell's whom I also expect to step up. Better than Beard's too. The sample size is small with Durham.

[HF#1]

With a team full of role players, it's hard to identify this "key hog".

[HoopS]

Good call, OP. Durham has stepped up well beyond most people's expectations.

Development

[HawgAdvocate]

Good call, OP. Durham has stepped up well beyond most people's expectations.

Development

7 points, 7 dimes & 2 steals are good numbers. Though 38% shooting & 26% from outside, aren't ideal.

I also never really expected him to see 30 minutes/game. He's doing some good things, given a lot of opportunity, but we need more.

[HoopS]

7 points, 7 dimes & 2 steals are good numbers. Though 38% shooting & 26% from outside, aren't ideal.

I also never really expected him to see 30 minutes/game. He's doing some good things, given a lot of opportunity, but we need more.

he is facilitating the offense. When he's off the court, it just isn't the same. He still isn't a great shooter overall but as a PG, I like what he brings.