LITTLE ROCK — There isn't much that can tear Mike Anderson away from Walton Arena during the first official week of basketball practice, but it happened Thursday night.
Anderson, the Razorbacks' fourth-year coach, traveled to Little Rock, where he was honored by the Boys & Girls Club of Central Arkansas as its Leader of the Year during a banquet at the Penick branch.
Anderson opened practice last week with a roster that includes six of the top seven scorers from last season's 22-12 team. Anderson said he would have stayed with his team in most years, but it didn't take much convincing when former player John Engskov, a member the 1994 national championship team, and others called.
"Once we get started I don't do many speaking engagements, but this is something that's sort of dear to my heart when you're talking about the Boys and Girls Club," Anderson said. "We've got some guys on our team that have been through here, and it's just giving back."
Anderson will be back for practice today as the Razorbacks prepare for their Nov. 16 season opener against Alabama State at Walton Arena.
Anderson said he has his deepest and most talented team since he returned to Arkansas for the 2011-2012 season, and some of Anderson's coaching peers seem to agree. Arkansas wasn't one of the ranked teams in the USA Today Top 25 coaches poll that was released Thursday, but it received eight votes, the first time Arkansas has received votes since Anderson succeeded John Pelphrey.
Anderson said he hadn't looked at the poll yet, but he admitted that it was nice to gain a little attention.
"Maybe it's some people saying, hey, there's something brewing over there," Anderson said. "I hope they're right. But, in the meantime, we're focusing on the things that we can control, which is trying to get better each and every day and getting prepared for what we think could be a special year."
Anderson said his excitement comes from a core of players that includes Ky Madden, who led Arkansas last season with an average of 12.7 points per game, sophomore Bobby Portis, who averaged 12.3 points and 6.8 rebounds, and Michael Qualls, who averaged 11.6 points per game.
He said senior Alandise Harris, a Little Rock Central graduate, will be asked to do more after averaging 9.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 18.8 minutes per game last season while backing up the departed Coty Clarke.
"We know Alandise can ride his toughness," Anderson said. "He's showing a lot more versatility and, even more important, he's a fifth-year senior and that means something."
Portis and Harris are two of seven Arkansans on Anderson's roster, a group that also includes Dusty Hannahs, who will sit out this season after transferring from Texas Tech.
Anderson said freshman Anton Beard will be asked to contribute. Beard, who played at Little Rock Parkview and North Little Rock, will likely back up Madden as the point guard, but his progress could dictate his playing time.
"He's learning that at this level, you've got to bring it all the time. You can't take plays off," Anderson said. "He rises to the occasion, and he's getting so much better. He's going to play this year."
Sports on 10/17/2014