Coffeyville (Kan. ) Community College small forward Daniel Payne, who signed with Arkansas in November, is expected to provide immediate help when he arrives on campus. Payne was a preseason All-America selection by the NJCAA along with being named The Sporting News preseason Player of the Year for junior colleges.

Payne, 6-7, 210 pounds, has led Coffeyville to a 17-7 record while averaging 18. 3 points and 6. 5 rebounds a game.

“Our team has come a long way,” said Payne, who leads the team with 50 steals. “I’m not 100 percent satisfied because I think we can get better. I can do more to help the team. This year, I’m more pleased with the way I’ve contributed. My role opened up a lot more. I’m pleased with the way I’m shooting right now but I can improve on my shooting percentage.”

Payne, who’s shooting 37 percent behind the three-point line, said Razorbacks Coach John Pelphrey expects him to play small forward for the Hogs next year.

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“Coach Pelphrey is talking about it and he’s talking about the three,” Payne said. “But basically I’ll be there to play my role next year and see what I can bring to the table to help us be a better team.”

Payne knows Pelphrey demands intensity on defense but an ankle injury has kept him from getting better on the defensive side.

“I think after I get over my ankle injury, my defense will be a lot better,” Payne said. “I twisted my right ankle and I’m just a half-step slower right now. I did it a while ago. I turned it real bad in one game. It hasn’t been the same. I have to play through my injuries; I’ve been doing that all my life.”

Payne, like all five Razorbacks signees, has participated in the Real Deal on the Hill basketball tournament put on by Arkansas Hawks Coach Bill Ingram each year in Fayetteville. This year’s tournament is slated for April 18-20.

Coffeyville Coach Jay Herkelman said opposing teams focus on trying to slow down Payne offensively.

“Daniel has been good,” said Herkelman, who is 341-98 at Coffeyville. “He’s attracted a lot of attention from other teams and a lot of people have been trying to figure out ways to shut him down, but he’s been playing consistently well for us.”

Herkleman said Payne’s versatility creates mismatches.

“He’s playing the two-three,” Herkelman said “And a little bit of forward spot for us depending on the different lineups we have in. At this level, a lot of teams will play us with more guards and smaller lineups, so if we can put him at a forward spot that helps us out a bunch defensively and gives people matchup problems on the other end.”

Payne even played somepoint guard a few weeks ago.

“We got into a little bit of a situation two weeks ago where he played a little bit of point guard for us,” Herkleman said. “It wasn’t over a long period of time, but he was good being out there and getting us into the offense.”

Teams have to respect Payne’s ability to hit the threepointer along with his ability put the ball on the floor and penetrate. Herkelman said Payne is getting better at driving to the basket.

“That’s one thing he’s working on,” Herkelman said. “He has to do that more because people are crowding him out at the three-point line and trying to take away that shot for him. He’s gotten better with his ball handling and decision-making off the dribble.” Herkleman sees the Razorbacks getting a high-energy guy with a good shooting touch. “I think he has to do the same things he does here,” Herkleman said. “He plays hard every possession. He’s an energy guy. He’s going to make shots and he’s got range on his three-point shot. I think he’ll rebound the ball well for them. He’s just a guy that brings a lot of energy to the team, and that’s one of the great attributes he’s got about him because a lot of kids don’t have the type of motor he’s got.”

CLARKE CLOSES IN Point guard / shooting guard Rotnei Clarke, who signed with the Hogs during the early signing period, had another excellent outing Monday.

Clarke, 6-1, 175 pounds, of Claremore (Okla. ) Verdigris scored 54 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 6 steals in a 99-51 victory over Sequoyah. He was 7 of 11 from behind the three-point line, 18 of 24 from the field and hit 11 of 12 free throws. Clarke is 185 points shy of the Oklahoma career scoring record. Ty Harman of Maud holds the state record with 3, 639 points. Verdigris plays Sperry in its last regular-season game Saturday night and then heads into the state playoffs. In the past 14 games, Clarke has averaged 42 points, 9 rebounds, 5. 7 assists and 4 steals a game. During the stretch, he’s hit 47. 5 percent of his threepointers, 55 percent from the field and 85. 5 percent from the free-throw line.

MOORE UPDATE Razorbacks signee Brandon Moore, a 6-9, 215-pound forward from New Orleans Holy Cross, is averaging 17 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks a game. He had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 9 blocks in a 52-49 loss to Salmen on Tuesday night. E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline. com