Coach John Pelphrey’s Arkansas Razorbacks basketball program signed two prospects to national letters of intent Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period, and anticipates signing two more today.

The early signing period ends Wednesday.

UALR, Arkansas State and Central Arkansas brought in one signee each. Arkansas Pine Bluff did not announce signings.

Point guard Courtney Fortson of The Patterson School (N. C. ) and Mendenhall (Miss. ) Genesis One comboguard Terrance Joyner signed Wednesday with the Hogs.

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New Orleans forward Brandon Moore is scheduled to sign at 11: 15 a. m. today at his school. Forward Andre Clark, Joyner’s teammate, will travel to Little Rock today so he and his mother can sign his letter of intent.

Fortson, 5-11, 175 pounds, said he turned down scholarship offers from Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida State, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Missouri to sign with the Razorbacks. He isn’t shy about his expectations at Arkansas next year.

“Hopefully, I’ll make All-SEC freshman team and possibly make All-SEC first team,” said Fortson, who was named the 2006-2007 Mr. Basketball in Alabama. “I want to be the best point guard in the SEC. They [Arkansas coaches ] want me to make everyone around me better, which I can do. They’re going to put the ball in my hands and go from there.”

Fortson said he’s averaging about 28 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals per game at Patterson.

Bob Gibbons, who has been the publisher of All Star Sports Reports since 1978 and rates prospects for ESPN, said he saw Fortson play against Brandon Jennings of Oak Hill Academy, whom many consider the nation’s best point guard, in an Oct 11 exhibition game.

“He really outplayed him [Jennings ],” Gibbons said. “Courtney had like 27 points. He’s really an explosive player. He’s improved his three-point shot. I think he’s the best postgraduate point guard in the nation. He’s going to be a terrific addition to the Razorbacks. He’s a great kid that plays hard on both ends of the floor. He’s a coach’s dream as a point guard.”

Joyner, 6-2, 170 pounds, averaged about 13 points, 9 assists and 3 steals per game last season. He turned down scholarship offers from Washington State, New Mexico State and Oregon State.

Joyner signed his national letter of intent Wednesday. His mother will sign Friday after receiving the letter of intent sometime today.

“I’m excited about becoming a Razorback,” said Joyner, who is from Los Angeles. “I just sat down and looked at everyone and picked Arkansas because it was a better situation. I had a better opportunity to play as a freshman.”

Joyner has led Genesis One to a 5-1 record thus far, averaging about 20 points, 9 assists and 3 steals game.

He said the Arkansas coaches expect him to compete against Fortson for the point guard position.

“I think they expect me to go in and play point guard,” he said. “And battle for the spot between me and Courtney Fortson. Run the team and play good defense in the up-tempo style.”

Gibbons, who rates Joyner as the No. 12 prep school guard in the nation, said he can play both the point and shooting guard position.

“Terrance has the versatility play alongside Courtney Fortson,” Gibbons said. “He has more of a scoring mentality. I think Joyner will help as a combo-guard who can play the point or the second. He knows how to score. He plays for a very good Genesis One team.”

Clark, who attended North Little Rock High School, will travel to Little Rock today so he and his mom can sign his letter of intent. Clark, 6-10, 215, said he had scholarship offers from Kentucky, Colorado, Indiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, Syracuse and Memphis.

Clark averaged about 25 points and 8 rebounds during the spring and summer while playing AAU basketball for the Arkansas Hawks, coached by Bill Ingram. Gibbons rated Clark as the No. 4 prep school forward in the nation after watching him at the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions over the summer.

Gibbons thinks highly of Clark, after watching him at his tournament over the summer.

“He has a lot of ability and will probably play the power forward spot,” Gibbons said.

Moore 6-9, 215 pounds, played at Episcopal Collegiate in Little Rock during his sophomore season while living in Little Rock after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks and 2 steals a game last year at Holy Cross High School in New Orleans. Moore averaged 21 points, 12 rebounds, 7 blocks and 2 steals in the state playoffs. Moore said he received interest from Kentucky, LSU, Wichita State, Southern Cal and Ole Miss. “I think he’s a developing player. He has the size you look for [at forward ],” Gibbons said. “Everything I’ve heard, Brandon can come in and contribute as a developing post player for Arkansas.” The Razorbacks still hope to sign Oklahoma combo-guard Rotnei Clarke, 6-1, 175 pounds, and Coffeyville (Kan. ) Community College forward Daniel Payne, 6-7, 210 pounds, during the early signing period.

UALR The UALR Trojans signed 6-6 swingman Courtney Jackson of Paris, Texas, rated as the No. 13 prospect in Texas by Texas-Hoops. com.

Jackson, a three-year starter, had 24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 2 steals in the Wildcats’ 62-47 seasonopening victory on Tuesday. He was 8 of 13 shooting from the field, including 1 of 2 from three-point range.

He averaged 18. 2 points and 11. 2 rebounds while shooting 64 percent last season. He was heavily recruited by South Alabama and North Texas, and received interest from others including Rice, Texas-El Paso, Wichita State, Oral Roberts and Iowa State. “He’s a long, rangy, skilled forward who’s very comfortable with the basketball, playing facing the goal,” UALR Coach Steve Shields said. “He’s a young man that will fit in very well with what we’re trying to do. “ Everything I’ve learned about him shows me that he is one of these guys who epitomizes what a student-athlete is all about.”

ARKANSAS STATE Arkansas State signed Little Rock Parkview guard Trey Finn on Wednesday but was still waiting for a signature from Southwest (Tenn. ) Community College guard Donald Boone. Finn, 6-2, a shooting guard who switched his commitment from UALR earlier this month, was a first-team all-Arkansas selection as a junior. He averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals to help the Patriots to a 28-3 record and the state semifinals. Boone, 6-5, who averaged 18 points and 7 rebounds a game for Southwest Tennessee and was a first-team junior college All-American, had not yet signed with Arkansas State by late Wednesday.

CENTRAL ARKANSAS Central Arkansas signed Robert Crawford, a 6-5 forward who averaged 18. 5 points and 10. 5 rebounds for a 25-5 Tulsa Victory Christian team that lost in the state semifinals. Coach Rand Chappell said Crawford comes in as possibly the best athlete on the team. Crawford runs the floor extremely well and has the ball handling skills of a guard at the forward position.

ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF The Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions didn’t have any signees Wednesday.