Future Razorback Isaiah Joe's 24 points powers Fort Smith Northside

Isaiah Joe

— Arkansas signee Isaiah Joe has embraced moving to point guard for Fort Smith Northside this season and that was evident in his first quarter of action at the 40th annual Coca Cola Christmas Classic in Fort Smith on Thursday.

Joe (6-4, 170) dished out three assists as his team scored the first 11 points of the game, but soon kicked in the scoring as well and finished with a game-high 24 points as the Grizzlies downed Joe T. Robinson 68-52 in opening round action at UAFS' Stubblefield Center.

Scoring just above his 23 points per game average this season, Joe also knocked down 5 3-pointers while dishing out 7 assists and adding 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks.

“Isaiah Joe has always been able to handle the ball, but last year we had Tevin Brewer so we didn’t need him to handle the ball,” Fort Smith assistant coach Greg Scott said. “It was just spot up and shoot that thing.

“This year we always knew he could step up to the challenge and I think he wants to prove to others that he is just not a shooter. He is a ball handler as well. If we need him to play the point the full 32 minutes of the game, he can.”

It was the seventh win in eight games for Northside (8-4), which started the season 1-3 with Joe as the only returning starter off of the Class 7A state championship roster.

“We realized that we had to get our chemistry together because going into the season we had lost some pieces, people who didn’t know how to run the system,” Joe said. “As a leader, I felt like it was on me and I started to get them together one at a time and focusing on different things.

“They have skills, we all have the skills, but we are just building up right now.”

Joe, who has scored 37,30, 37, 19 and 24 points in his last five games, is seeing wave of defenders coming at him as a marked man this season.

He has made 45 3-pointers this season after making a school-record 120 last season.

“I like to block it out a lot of times, but it is different being the only one (returning), but I just have got to keep pushing forward,” Joe said.

Scott - filling in for head coach Eric Burnett - feels like the Grizzlies are coming along nicely.

“As far as chemistry, it’s a young group, but a very mature group,” Scott said. “We are bringing it together slowly but surely and we have just got to keep getting better daily.”

Joe has been to several Arkansas games this season as the Razorbacks have started 10-2.

“I like what I am seeing,” Joe said. “They are having a really good season and I think they are going to go far. Especially from last year, I have seen the progress that they have made and it is looking really good.”

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Sophomore Khalen Robinson’s basket with 2.7 seconds left in overtime lifted Bryant to a 69-67 win over Jacksonville in earlier action Thursday.

Little Rock Hall downed El Dorado 68-51 and Charleston downed Fort Smith Southside 65-55 in other Thursday games.

Charleston will face face Bryant at 5:50 p.m. and Fort Smith Northside will take on Little Rock Hall at 7:30 in winners’ bracket semifinals on Friday.

Joe T. Robinson and El Dorado will open things up at 2:30 p.m. while Fort Smith Southside will battle Jacksonville in another consolation bracket game at 4:10 p.m.