Arkansas 2018 hoops pledge Isaiah Joe keeps firing away

Fort Smith Northside guard Isaiah Joe (10) goes for a basket during the 7A boys state championship basketball game against North Little Rock at Bank of the Ozarks Arena on Satuday, March 11, 2017, in Hot Springs.

— Anyone worried about future outside shooting for the Arkansas basketball program needs only to see the stroke of Fort Smith Northside junior shooting guard and Razorback 2018 pledge Isaiah Joe to calm down.

Joe (6-4, 180), one of five Arkansas Hawks’ starters committed to Arkansas, broke the Northside school record for 3-pointers made with 110 this season and has continued that marksmanship into AAU ball this weekend at the Real Deal in the Rock.

He hit 5 3-pointers while scoring 21 points as the Hawks 17-and-under team routed the Dallas Pacers 91-53 on Friday night and knocked down 4 more while scoring 17 points Saturday afternoon in an 89-61 whipping of the Atlanta Celtics.

“We just have a lot of fun playing together, have real good chemistry and all of us are just very relaxed,” Joe said. “My teammates make it easy on me and I just do what I do.”

Reggie Perry added 19 points, Caleb Stokes 14, Justice Hill 13, Desi Sills 9 and Ethan Henderson 8.

The Hawks - featuring five Arkasas commits - move into bracket play Saturday night at 7:55 p.m. with the championship game in the 17-and-under Division slated for Sunday afternoon at 1:25 p.m.

Joe had a team-high 20 points while helping lead Northside to the Class 7A state title with a 51-50 win over North Little Rock in the championship game at Hot Springs.

“It was nice being able to go out there and knock down shots, support our crowd and just have fun,” Joe said.

Joe is not ready to rest on his laurels.

“I feel like even though I did good, I still have a lot of things to work on personally,” Joe said. “I need to get bigger and stronger and there are a lot of little things that I can work on. I can always improve my shot and it will make me a great player.”