Portis gives Hogs outside chance

FAYETTEVILLE -- Dayton Coach Archie Miller said Arkansas forward Bobby Portis isn't the first 6-11 player he's seen hit perimeter shots consistently.

But there is a difference that makes Portis different from the others.

"They're all playing in the NBA," Miller said after Portis scored 18 points to lead the Razorbacks to a 69-55 victory over the Flyers last Saturday in Walton Arena. "Maybe one day he'll be there as well."

Portis, a sophomore from Little Rock Hall, made 9 of 13 from the field against Dayton, including three jump shots while raising his scoring average to 15.8 points per game.

Through nine games, Portis is shooting 57.0 percent (61 of 107) and 31 of his baskets are from the perimeter on either three-pointers or jump shots, according to a review of play-by-play statistics. He has hit 7 of 11 three-pointers and 24 of 57 jump shots for a combined 46.6 percent on attempts outside of the lane.

Portis shot 50.9 percent from the field last season, including 27.3 percent on three-point attempts (9 of 33), while averaging 12.3 points.

"He's putting the time in, we've seen it," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said of Portis' improved shooting, especially from the perimeter. "He's shooting it with a lot of confidence, and confidence has so much to do with basketball, but your preparation also has a lot to do with it.

"So evidently his preparation has been pretty good. You've got to give our guys credit for giving it to him."

Portis said he feels more comfortable shooting this season.

"Last year, I really didn't shoot it with confidence," he said. "I was just shooting it to shoot it. This year I feel like I'm confident in everything that I'm doing -- shooting, posting up and just being a basketball player, really."

Portis showed off his improved game in the season opener when he scored 24 points against Alabama State. On a bigger stage at SMU, he scored 22 points to help the Razorbacks beat the Mustangs 78-72.

"The kid Portis is a pretty damn good player," said SMU Coach Larry Brown, a longtime NBA coach. "He's a whole different deal.

"He's going to be playing somewhere else soon. He can step outside, he posts up."

Iowa State beat Arkansas 95-77 at Hilton Coliseum, but Portis hit 8 of 10 shots -- with all of his baskets coming from the perimeter -- and scored 19 points.

Cyclones Coach Fred Hoiberg, who played 10 seasons in the NBA with Indiana, Chicago and Minnesota, said he knew Portis would be tough to stop after seeing him in the summer at the Nike Big Man Camp and LeBron James Skills Academy.

"Portis is everything that he was advertised," Hoiberg said. "He's a guy with size that can shoot it. He's got touch, he can move his feet, he can handle the ball, he can pass.

"He's the whole package."

Scouts from 12 NBA teams were at the Arkansas-Iowa State game, but Portis said that type of attention doesn't make him nervous. Scouts have been at several of the Razorbacks' games.

Portis and Arkansas junior guard Michael Qualls are considered top NBA prospects.

"Me and Mike can't worry about scouts," Portis said. "We're just trying to win basketball games for our team and take our game to the next level."

Miller, who hit 218 three-point baskets as a guard at North Carolina State before going into coaching, said the college game is changing and a big man with the ability of Portis is a huge asset for Arkansas.

"College basketball is real skilled right now," Miller said. "Most teams are really looking for front court guys that can step out and play. It just changes your offensive flow.

"The pace they play at ... the way that the ball moves and the players move, Portis in particular is set up with a great system. Coach Anderson has got a good thing going in terms of the way they're playing and using him."

Anderson said most post players aren't going to come too far away from the basket to contest Portis' jump shots, which helps open driving lanes for the Razorbacks.

"I think it's going to bode well for Bobby and it's going to bode well for us, because he's a tough matchup," Anderson said of Portis' versatility on offense. "Now he's able to put the ball on the floor.

"He's going to demand more and more attention, and as he demands more attention, then I think he's going to have the awareness when the double-team comes to find the open guy."

While Portis' improvement with his outside shots is impressive, Anderson said he still needs to be a force inside.

"He's got to be a guy that when he gets in that huddle says, 'Hey, ya'll get me the ball,' " Anderson said. "He's got to say it kind of emphatically. It doesn't have to be a crazy cry, but he's got to say it, especially when it's going down to crunch time."

After SMU had cut a 19-point Arkansas lead to nine, Portis responded by scoring nine points in a 7:28 span to help the Razorbacks hang on before fouling out with 1:15 left.

"I think he wanted it," Anderson said. "So it's got to be a little more assertiveness on his part, a little more speaking up.

"He's one of the leaders on our team. I really feel the guys will follow his lead."

Sports on 12/17/2014