LAS VEGAS - Arkansas Hawks forward Trey Thompson of Forrest City has been working hard over the last year or so to transform his body, and the work is paying off.
Much of his motivation was getting ready for the FAB 48 17-under invitational division in Las Vegas that started Thursday and ends Sunday.
Thompson, 6-9, 250 pounds, looked a little more toned up since playing in the Real Deal in the Rock tournament in April.
In the first game, Thompson scored 14 points in a 69-50 victory over Nothing But Net on Thursday morning.
“I’ve been working out pretty much all summer and leading up to this,” Thompson said. “This is what the working out leads to. Coach [Bill Ingram] looks forward to it and we look forward to it and it’s paying off.”
Van Coleman, the national director of basketball scouting for Hot-100Hoops.com, said he likes where Thompson’s game is heading.
“He’s really started to develop his offensive tools, rebounds, defends,” Coleman said. “He’s a guy that’s on the rise of 2014. I look for him to break into most of the top 100 lists at the end of the summer.”
The last evaluation period for the summer started Thursday evening at 5 p.m. and goes until Sunday. Arkansas coaches are expected to be in Las Vegas and Orlando for the AAU national championships.
Thompson is working on fine-tuning his game inside and out.
“I’m just trying to polish a few things and step out more and get the 17-footer down,” Thompson said. “Probably my go-to move is fake one way and go to the other with a jump hook.”
Thompson said he is proud that Forrest City has a strong representation in Fayetteville, with defensive back Dayvon “Sleepy” McKinney and defensive end Tevin Beanum playing for the Razorbacks’ football team, and pitcher Barrett Astin, who was drafted in this year’s major league draft, playing for the baseball team.
“I’m just trying to go up there and leave with a legacy,” he said. “I’m trying to go up there and make Forrest City look good.”
KC GUARD LIKES UA
Arkansas figures to be in attendance when KC Run GMC 16-under of Kansas City takes the floor during the FAB 48.
The Hogs are one of seven schools to offer a scholarship to point guard Jimmy Whitt.
Whitt, 6-3, 155, of Columbia, Mo., has other scholarship offers from Missouri, Oklahoma State and Creighton. His long arms give him a wing span of about 6 feet, 10 inches and is ideal for Coach Mike Anderson’s pressing and in-your-face-type defense.
“It really helps me more so on the defensive end because I can get a lot of hands on the balls,” Whitt said. “Guys that are taller than me I’m able to jump with them because of my long arms.”
He said the Hogs’ style of play is attractive because his high school uses a similar system. He visited the Razorbacks about a month ago and liked it.
“I really liked the school,” Whitt said. “It’s a nice facility. They have a nice feel with the people at the university and the basketball program. They have a really nice feel. It’s a really home feeling.”
Van Coleman’s description of Whitt sounds a lot like what Arkansas is looking for.
“Very quick, smart, good ball handler,” Coleman said. “He can knock down the three, has the ability to play defense at a high level. He’s a kid that sees the court in transition and a guy that’s going to be great for a 94-foot ball club.”
Because of his trip to Fayetteville, Whitt holds the Hogs in high regard.
“They’re really high on my list,” he said.
The Hogs are also evaluating three of Whitt’s teammates, shooting guard Drew Lock, guard Ryan Kreklow and combo-guard Jarred Dixon, whose brother Michael played for Anderson at Missouri.
Lock, 6-4, 195, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., averaged 20 points per game as a sophomore in high school and reports scholarship offers from Missouri and Oklahoma. He’s also an outstanding quarterback, with offers from Missouri and Louisville. He’s very familiar with Anderson.
“Coach Anderson was at Missouri, and us being from Missouri we know a little bit about Coach Anderson,” Lock said. “We like the way he plays up and down the floor real fast.”
LINEMAN TO DECIDE
Highly recruited junior college offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor said he will announce his college decision on Twitter between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Central today.
Eluemunor, 6-5 1/2, 315, of Lackawanna (Pa.) Community College, has more than 20 scholarship offers including ones from Arkansas, Ohio State, UCLA, Texas A&M and Penn State. He officially visited Arkansas last week. He also visited Ohio State and UCLA.
He was committed to the Bruins but eliminated them Wednesday and will choose from the Hogs and Buckeyes. Indications are the Hogs are in good shape with him.
MORE LINEMEN
Arkansas is expected to host offensive lineman Frank Ragnow, 6-6, 291, 5.0 seconds in the 40-yard dash, of Victoria (Minn.) Chanhassen High School, and defensive end Gerri Green, 6-4, 220, 4.56, of Greenville (Miss.) Weston for unofficial visits today.
Ragnow has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Minnesota, Florida State, Nebraska and others, while Green has several SEC offers, including ones from Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Auburn. It’s a good possibility he’ll add an offer from the Hogs during the visit.
Email Richard Davenport at [email protected]
Sports, Pages 20 on 07/26/2013