The Recruiting Guy

Family connection could aid Hogs in pursuit of highly touted guard

Guard Ayo Dosunmu toughness is what Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson likes to recruit.

— A family connection might help Arkansas with junior guard Ayo Dosunmu, who’s playing for the 16-under Mac Irvin Fire in the Bigfoot Las Vegas Classic.

His uncle Joseph McCoy graduated from Arkansas in the late 1980’s.

“He always talked about it,” Dosunmu said. “He said it was a good school; the academics were good, and there’s a good vibe there.”

Dosunmu, 6-3, 162 pounds, plays for Morgan Park High School in Chicago and has 12 scholarship offers from schools like Illinois, Florida State, Iowa State, Texas A&M and SMU.

ESPN rates him the No. 16 point guard and No. 59 overall prospect in the nation for the 2018 class. He and assistant coach Scotty Thurman are in the early stages of a relationship.

“I really want to learn more,” Dosunmu said.

Arkansas' up-tempo style of play on offense and defense is attractive.

“That’s a place I fit into: an up-and-down playing style,” he said. “Getting the ball up and scoring and passing, getting on your man on defense.”

Dosunmu’s tough mentally is what Coach Mike Anderson likes to recruit. Dosunmu showed that Friday morning when he fought through a strained calf muscle he suffered in a Thursday night game.

Mac Irvin Fire trailed FOH of Seattle for much of today’s game before going on a run down the stretch and winning 66-57. Despite being hobbled and limited offensively, he urged Coach Nick Irvin to put him in the game for a defensive stop.

“I told Nick to put me in one possession,” Dosunmu said. “I knew I couldn’t score, but I knew I could help my team out on defense, and I got us a big stop. Then we went on a 7-0 run and put them away.”