FAYETTEVILLE — The last of five Arkansas signees or commits to take the stage this weekend in Hot Springs is part of a record-setting backcourt looking to avenge a triple-overtime loss from earlier in the season.
Fort Smith Northside junior shooting guard Isaiah Joe (6-4, 180) - a 2018 Razorback pledge who has knocked down a school-record 116 3-pointers this season - will lead the Grizzlies (22-7) against North Little Rock (25-4) Saturday at 12:45 p.m. at Bank of Ozarks Arena.
Joe joins 5-7 senior point guard Tevin Brewer - the school’s leading all-time scorer who had 38 in the state semifinal and is averaging 20 points per game - in a backcourt that powers Northside.
“They are just two special guys,” Northside head coach Eric Burnett said Friday afternoon. “They really play well together and have set all kinds of records.
“Our other guys have done a great job of playing their roles around those two guys and have got us to this point, which is where we started the year wanting to be.”
Joe, averaging 18.8 points per game this season, didn’t even realize that he had broke the record until someone informed him of it.
“It’s a big honor, being able to do that, knowing all the work that I have put in in the gym,” Joe said to the Southwest Times Record. “…I didn’t know I broke the record so it shows I am not even thinking about all that. If it happens, it happens, I’m really honored and blessed to have that behind me, but other than that I just like to play.”
Joe has hit at least five 3-pointers in 12 games this season and had a season-high 10 against Little Rock Central and nine against Bryant.
He has scored 36 points twice, including in what was likely the best high school game in the state this season - when the Charging Wildcats downed the Grizzlies 94-91 in triple overtime at North Little Rock back on Feb 17.
“It was like two heavyweight fighters trading punches, them making a play, us making one and it just came down to us making a couple of mistakes at the end and them getting out with a win,” Burnett said. “We are looking forward to the rematch.”
Joe is not surprised to find North Little Rock standing in his team’s way of a state championship ring.
"I did, I really did because on our side (of the bracket), I knew if we would take care of business like we did, we would have a good chance (to play NLR) in the state championship and I looked at their side of the bracket," Joe said. “They're a really good team and I knew they would probably pull through and that this would be our chance. It's crazy. ... I've always dreamed of being in the state championship game, and now that we're here, we've got to keep working and keep pushing and we've got to put it all out on the court."
Northside got to the title game by rallying from a 10-point deficit and downing Springdale Har-Ber 68-56 last Saturday night in Van Buren.
“We came out and picked ourselves up off the mat and willed ourselves to win that game,” Burnett said. “I am so proud of these guys.”
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Arkansas signee Darious Hall had 24 points and 13 rebounds and was named the MVP after leading Little Rock Mills (32-2) to a 65-61 win over Little Rock Parkview Thursday afternoon in the Class 5A state championship game.
Parkview senior and fellow Razorback signee Khalil Garland had 12 in the loss before fouling out for the Patriots (28-6).
Jonesboro junior guard Desi Sills and his team completed a perfect 32-0 season with a 74-57 win over El Dorado and Razorback center signee Daniel Gafford in the Class 6A title game on Friday.
Sills had all 12 of his points in the second half while Gafford finished with his 28th double of the season by recording 16 points and 17 rebounds.