Beard says he’ll be a Razorback
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson made an in-home visit with North Little Rock junior Anton Beard on Monday night and left with an oral commitment from the point guard.
Beard, 6-1, 180 pounds, played at Little Rock Parkview last season where he was a three- year starter and was named a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas first team before transferring to North Little Rock at the conclusion of the season.
“He was really happy,” Beard said of Anderson’s reaction to his commitment. “He explained to me about the situation I was going to be in and about the school.”
Beard, who is rated a four-star recruit, the No. 10 point guard and No. 47 overall prospect in the nation by future150.com, committed to Missouri last summer but reopened his recruiting in February. State pride was a big factor in his decision, he said.
“The fact it’s home and I can play for my state,” Beard said. “The fans, the crowds that’s going to be there, and just the coaches and the school. They’re great coaches.”
Anderson and assistant coach T.J. Cleveland were in Los Angeles over the weekend and watched Beard play for Team Penny of Memphis.
“I can play [defense] and just be a point guard and run my team,” said Beard, who averaged about 19 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game as a junior.
Beard is Arkansas’ first commitment for the 2014 class. Oral commitments are nonbinding.
- Richard DavenportNLR forward signs with Holmes CC
Thomas Alexander, a 6-5 senior forward from North Little Rock, signed a national letter of intent with Holmes Community College of Goodman, Miss., on Tuesday.
Alexander averaged 18 points a game and helped the Charging Wildcats record a 28-1 record and earn their first state championship since 1971. Alexander was also selected to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Team and will play in the AAA High School All-Star Game in June.
GOLFBenton fourth at Sun Belt Tournament
UALR senior Nicklaus Benton is in fourth place, three shots off the lead after the second round at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Tuesday at Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s the Shoals in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Benton shot a 1-over-par 73 Tuesday and is at 1-under 143 for the tournament. That left him three strokes behind leader Rodolfo Cazaubon of North Texas.
UALR (293-294-587) is fifth in the team standings at 11 over, three spots ahead of Arkansas State (300-305-605). Georgia State leads the tournament at 5-over 581 (295-286).
Easton Key led Arkansas State in the second round with a 75 and is tied for 20th at 149.
UCA’s Newton, Angles tied for first
Freshman James Newton held on to a piece of first place in the individual standings, but the Central Arkansas’ men’s team dropped a spot to second Tuesday after two rounds of the Southland Conference Tournament at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club in McKinney, Texas.
Newton followed up his first-round 70 with a 79 on Tuesday and is tied with teammate Pep Angles for first place. Angles, a sophomore, shot rounds of 76-73-149 to tie Newton at the top, along with Southeastern Louisiana’s Rhys West (73-76).
UCA senior Austin Moix is tied for eighth after rounds of 74-80-154.
Southeastern Louisiana (605) has a two-stroke lead over UCA (607).
Sports, Pages 19 on 04/24/2013