Arkansas finished up the early signing period with a flurry, with the last-minute signings of combo-guard Rotnei Clarke and forward Daniel Payne.

Clarke, 6-1, 175 pounds, of Verdigris High School in Claremore, Okla., signed with Arkansas on Wednesday night during the 10 p. m. newscast on Tulsa television station KTUL.

Payne, 6-7, 210, of Coffeyville (Kan. ) Community College, also signed with the Hogs late Wednesday night. He was selected by The Sporting News as the junior college preseason player of the year.

Clarke chose the Razorbacks over Oral Roberts and Oklahoma State. He had caps from all three schools on a table and made his decision by picking up the Razorbacks cap and announcing: “I’m going to Arkansas.

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“ I think it’s a great place for me, and I ended up having a peace about it in my heart.”

Clarke, whose shooting range is a little beyond the three-point line, is considered one of the top guards in the nation for the 2008 class. He said he had about 30 scholarship offers.

“He is one of the premier shooters in high school basketball,” Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey said in a news release Thursday. “I would say he’s one of the top three or four I’ve ever had the chance to be around, but he’s much more than that.

“ He’s a great addition to our team.”

Clarke averaged 37. 6 points, 9 rebounds and 6. 3 assists a game last year and is on pace to become the leading scorer in Oklahoma high school history. His father, Conley Clarke, is the director of basketball operations at Oral Roberts.

Clarke is rated by Bob Gibbons and ESPN. com as the nation’s No. 14 point guard prospect.

“Rotnei Clarke is just a pure shooter,” Gibbons said. “He’s one of the best shooters I’ve seen. No one is going to beat Rotnei Clarke as a shooter. He may be the best in the country in hitting three-point shots.”

Payne has led Coffeyville to a 5-1 start this season and a No. 10 national junior college ranking. He has the ability to score inside as well as outside with his shooting touch from three-point range.

“Daniel is a very highly rated junior college player, arguably a top five player in the country depending on who you talk to,” Pelphrey said. “He has a chance to play significant minutes from day one.”

Payne said he likes the Arkansas coaching staff and that Pelphrey reminded him of Coffeyville Coach Jay Herkelman.

Arkansas’ style of play and returning players for next year helped entice Payne.

“They like to run,” said Payne who averaged about 15 points and 8 rebounds last year. “I like the way they play. They have some good players coming back next year that I can relate to and that I’ve built relationships with.”

Payne made an unofficial visit to Arkansas’ Red-White game during the Oct. 26-28 weekend.

Clarke and Payne join four other signees in the early signing period that ended Wednesday at midnight. They are 5-11 point guard Courtney Fortson of Patterson N. C., 6-9 forward Brandon Moore of New Orleans Holy Cross, 6-2 point guard Terrance Joyner and 6-10 forward Andre Clark both of Mendenhall (Miss. ) Genesis One.