A New Point Guard in the Fold

by Stephen Expat on Apr 16, 2009 3:22 PM CDT in Arkansas Razorback Basketball

If there's one thing the basketball Hogs didn't have enough of last year, it was small guards. John Pelphrey began shoring up that weakness yesterday when 6'1" Julysses Nobles of Jackson (Miss.) Callaway signed a letter of intent to play for Arkansas.

Sarcasm aside, the Hogs really do need a back-up to Courtney Fortson (and given Pelphrey's suspension-loving ways, at some point the Hogs will probably need Nobles to be more than that). The good stuff: Nobles averaged 21 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 3.2 steals per game last season while leading his team to a 33-6 record and the Class 4A and state overall championships. He also played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game this spring.

And now, the not-so-exciting stuff: Scout.com only gives him two out of a possible four stars, and the Hogs' competition for him was Alabama-Birmingham and Georgia State. Oh well - I find it hard to get too worked up one way or another. Recruiting is, after all, a rather inexact science, and Nolan's teams consistently got major contributions from unheralded signees (Scotty Thurman - I'm looking in your direction). Still, it does make me a wee bit envious to see Kentucky - the rich kids on the block who get all the cool toys for Christmas - poised to land so many highly ranked prepsters.

Nobles joins 6'8" power forward Marshawn Powell, 6'5" guard Jemal Farmer and 7' center/forward Anthony Borden in the Hogs' 2009 recruiting class. Of the four signees, Powell is by far the most highly touted. Scout.com gives him four stars and ranks him the 16th best power forward in the class of 2009 and the 47th best player overall.

What's your take on the class so far?

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Powell is one of the most promising players on the court I can remember, but will he be academically eligible?! Will he stay that way?

by Michael on Apr 16, 2009 5:37 PM CDT reply actions

Looks pretty weak. If he can get DeShawn Painter (friends with Powell supposedly)this class won’t be half bad. Without him or another high prospect big guy and we might be in for another painful year.

by Jeremy on Apr 16, 2009 5:56 PM CDT reply actions

Quote of the week:

“If there’s one thing the basketball Hogs didn’t have enough of last year, it was small guards.”

100 cocktails to you, Stephen.

What’s my take on the class so far? What Jeremy said.

by Sue E. Pig on Apr 16, 2009 10:19 PM CDT reply actions

As you say, we’re not excited about this class. Matched with all the players on campus, the new guys may mesh better than any of us expect. But the other point you make about Kentucky’s class is what bothers me the most. Not only are we not getting any exciting players, we’re not even getting mentioned for the top athletes. Even with Stan Heath we sometimes landed an elite recruit — Jefferson, Famutimi, Brewer.

My overall reaction is to be glad it’s spring and taxes are finished.

by Tab Prewett on Apr 17, 2009 7:38 AM CDT reply actions

I’m still wondering why Nobles wasn’t rated higher?
Is he being over-looked by the recruiting services, or does he play for a smaller school that’s traditionally “off the radar”, and plays against weak competition?
If he’s truly an all-star, playing in the Alabama/Mississippi all-star game this spring, then what’s the catch?
I’ve seen guys who are 3-star players, that don’t even get invited to these games. I don’t get it. There must not be that much talent in the state of Mississippi this year.

by GonzoHog on Apr 18, 2009 10:58 AM CDT reply actions

My take on the recruiting class: Weaker than puppy’s pee.

If you are a 7 foot tall basketball player in Arkansas and you can’t average 20 points and 10 rebounds, you’re not good.

I want to beat out Kentucky and Duke and Florida and North Carolina when we sign a player…not Georgia State. We can’t bring up Scotty Thurman every mediocre recruiting year; that was 15 years ago and I have since suffered through many can’t-miss prospects (Nate Rakestraw can REALLY shoot!) who couldn’t play for Arkansas Tech.

by Mookie on Apr 18, 2009 1:08 PM CDT reply actions

My take: jury’s out. But, uh, this looks like a decent recruiting class for South Alabama.

If you can’t recruit to one of the few SEC schools that consistently draws 15,000 a game, then you are in the wrong league. I’m really rooting for Pel, but I am underwhelmed.

by J. Hawg 3 on Apr 19, 2009 10:02 AM CDT reply actions