FORREST CITY - Trey Thompson did not appear to be completely comfortable in his attire.
While sporting a gray suit, a striped shirt and a red-and white bow tie, Thompson did, however, seem perfectly at ease when signing his letter of intent Wednesday morning to play basketball for the University of Arkansas.
“I picked it out,” Thompson said, “but this is the first time I’ve ever worn a bow tie.”
With his coaches, teammates, family and many of his 2014 classmates supporting his choice at Mustang Arena, the 6-10 senior center became the latest in a recent line of Forrest City athletes to sign with the Razorbacks, something he said he had been dreaming about since his freshman season.
“I went [to Fayetteville] for a camp during my ninth-grade year and they offered me a scholarship on the spot,” Thompson said. “That made me feel kind of special.”
Thompson said his final choice came down to Arkansas and Mississippi State. And like some recent Forrest City athletes, the Razorbacks won out.
Five Forrest City athletes have signed athletic scholarships with the University of Arkansas in the last seven years. Marcus Britt played for the Razorbacks basketball team from 2007 to 2011. Barrett Astin pitched three seasons for the Razorbacks’ baseball team. Davyon “Sleepy” McKinney and Tevin Beanum are currently on the Razorbacks’ football roster. Thompson became Forrest City’s most recent addition to an Arkansas roster on Wednesday.
“That’s an impressive number for any school,” Forrest City basketball Coach Dwight Lofton said. “It’s a cause for great pride in this community.”
Thompson has been a three-year starter for the Mustangs and has been selected to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas teams the past two years. Last season, Thompson averaged 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocked shots a game, leading the Mustangs to an 18-10 overall record and an 11-3 mark in the 5A-East.
“Trey is the ultimate student-athlete,” Lofton said. “He’s a good leader. He’s been a little too unselfish and that’s kind of worked against him in some areas. But he’s meant a lot to our program. He’s given us a high profile as far as some of the events we’ve been able to play in and he’s been great for the community.”
The Razorbacks’ interest in Thompson has been high the past four years. Lofton said former Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey flew in for a tournament to watch Thompson as a freshman, and that the attention the Razorbacks gave Thompson became even stronger when Mike Anderson was hired for the 2011-2012 season.
Thompson is not sure what his exact role with the Razorbacks will be next season, but he expects to be used in a variety of ways.
“I just plan on going there to work hard and get better,”Thompson said. “Coach [Anderson] has told me that I’m versatile, so they’ll probably have me working both inside and outside. I’ll probably do a little bit of everything.”
Lofton says he would not be surprised if Thompson is starting as a freshman, nor would he be surprised if Thompson becomes a valuable role player.
“Trey is a ‘neck-up’ player,” Lofton said. “Trey thinks the game. He sees the game. He’s comfortable being Robin [and not Batman]. And the University of Arkansas needs those type of players. … Trey is going to do whatever Coach Anderson needs him to do.”
Also signing with the Razorbacks on Wednesday was guard Nick Babb, 6-4, 180, of Arlington (Texas) Martin, who inked during an afternoon ceremony at his school.
Babb signed with the Hogs over about 11 scholarship offers from SMU, Texas A&M and Gonzaga, among others. He’s ESPN’s 30th-rated shooting guard and is considered a 3-star prospect.
Anton Beard of North Little Rock, the Democrat-Gazette Sophomore of theYear in 2012 when he played at Little Rock Parkview, is scheduled to sign with the Razorbacks at 4 p.m. today.
Information for this article was contributed by Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Division I college basketball signings
MEN
ARKANSAS
POS NAME HT WT HIGH SCHOOL
G Nick Babb 6-4 180 Arlington (Texas) Martin
F Trey Thompson 6-10 230 Forrest City
NOTE Anton Beard a 6-1, 180-pound guard from North Little Rock, is scheduled to sign with the Razorbacks at 4 p.m. today.
UALR
POS NAME HT WT SCHOOL
G James Reid 6-3 185 College of Southern Idaho
G Jerron Washington 6-4 190 Southwest Tennessee Community College
GOING OUT OF STATE
POS NAME HT WT HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE
G Joe Aikens 6-3 170 North Pulaski Air Force Academy
G Kahron Ross 5-10 160 Jonesboro Lehigh
C Mason Schroeder 6-8 N/A Heber Springs Air Force Academy
WOMEN
ARKANSAS
POS NAME HT HIGH SCHOOL
F Bianca Blanaru 6-5 Timisoara, Romania
G McKinley Bostad 5-9 Kennadale, Texas
G/F Mariah Mitchell 5-9 McKinney, Texas
ARKANSAS STATE
POS NAME HT HIGH SCHOOL
G Christyal Holloway 5-8 Little Rock Parkview
C Ogo Obinabo 6-1 Plano, Texas
C Aalliyah Warren 6-3 Irving (Texas) McArthur
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
POS NAME HT HIGH SCHOOL
G Olivia McWilliams 5-6 eStem
NOTE Other players are set to sign today.
Sports, Pages 19 on 11/14/2013