Hog commit takes center stage for tourney

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.

For the last several years, the arrival of the Fort Smith Coca Cola Classic has coincided with the opportunity to see future Razorbacks.

This season is no different with Arkansas signee Isaiah Joe, who spends most of his time there anyway as a standout for Fort Smith Northside.

Joe and his Grizzlies (7-4) play Joe T. Robinson at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, following the tournament opener at 4 p.m featuring Little Rock Hall and El Dorado.

“I can’t say enough about Isaiah,” Fort Smith Northside head coach Eric Burnett said. “He’s so good already, but he is intent on getting better every day. We have to lock him out of the gym.”

The other two first-round games on Thursday have Bryant and super sophomore Khalen Robinson battling Jacksonville at 7 p.m., while Fort Smith Southside and Charleston meet at 8:30 p.m.

Joe is one of the six players Arkansas signed during the Nov. 8-15 early signing period in a class that is ranked 19th nationally by ESPN and includes four four-star prospects.

“It feels great, just to know that it’s official now and that I can put in the work to prepare to be a Hog, it’s just amazing,” Joe said at his signing ceremony.

“I’ve been a Hog since day one. I’ve grown up around it, both my parents are Razorbacks, so I think just to follow in their footsteps is a great honor.”

Landing Joe — who has already hit 39 3-pointers this season — obviously pleased Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson.

“When it’s all said and done, he will have a chance to be a special player for us,” Anderson said. “He can really handle the basketball, has unlimited range shooting the ball, good vision and is sneaky athletic. He makes an impact on both ends of the floor and comes from a winning culture.”

Joe is averaging 23 points per game this season. He’s scored 37, 30 and 37 points in three games when Fort Smith Northside won the Blue Spring, Mo., High School tournament title earlier this month.

Joe hit 15-of-16 free throws and 6-of-10 3-pointers in an 88-78 tournament championship win over Blue Springs, Mo., South.

He also had six assists and three steals in the finale.

In a player’s dream scenario last season, Joe ended up with the ball in his hands as time ran out as Fort Smith Northside captured the Class 7A state title over North Little Rock.

It was the culmination of a season in which Joe averaged 18.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals while making a school-record 120 3-pointers.

Joe is his team’s lone returing starter. Northside has won six of its last seven games — the latest a 66-40 victory against Bentonville High nine days ago — after starting 1-3.

“It really was a dream to win it all last season,” Joe said. “Now it’s my turn to lead these guys back there.”