The Recruiting Guy

Southwest Christian Academy's Gabe Osabuohien commits to Hogs

Forward Gabriel Osabuohien.

Little Rock Southwest Christian Academy forward Gabe Osabuohien orally committed to Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson for the 2017 recruiting class on Wednesday.

His pledged comes two days after Anderson announced freshman forward Brachen Hazen was transferring. Hazen’s departure opened up a scholarship for Osabuohien.

Osabuohien, 6-8, 219 pounds, of Toronto had scholarship offers from Murray State, East Tennessee. State, University of Chicago, North Carolina- Charlotte and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock while drawing interest from Missouri, Iowa State, Tennessee-Martin and others.

“Gabe is very active, instinctive player,” Southwest Christian Academy Charles Baker said. “He defends as well as any high school player I’ve been around. He handles the ball real well for someone his size. He’s very athletic. He can seriously impact a game without taking a bunch of shots. That’s his best attribute.”


The Hogs started recruiting Osabuohien in September, but it appeared he was going elsewhere until Hazen left the program. The Razorbacks and Baker started communicating on Tuesday and Anderson extended the scholarship offer Wednesday.

He averaged about 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists for a deep and talented Lions’ team that had three other Division I signees. Southwest Christian defeated Mount Mission of Virginia 54-44 to win the National Association of Christian Athletes championship on Feb. 24.

Osabuohien, who was traveling back home to Toronto Wednesday afternoon, has a 7-foot-1 inch wingspan. He was thrilled about being a Hog.

“He’s extremely happy,” Baker said. “ When I called his parents, he had already got in touch with them and I couldn’t hold a conversation with them because all though they haven’t seen the University of Arkansas, his mom said I’ve never heard my son sound that happy over the telephone.”

The Hogs signed El Dorado center Daniel Gafford, 6-11, 223 pounds, Little Rock Parkview guard Khalil Garland, 6-5, 190 and Mill forward Darious Hall, 6-7, 208 in November.

New Mexico point guard transfer point guard Jalen Harris signed a grant-in-aid agreement on May 2 and will sit out the 2017-18 season and have three years of eligibility remaining.