Beverley perfect beyond the arc Saturday in late-season comeback

BY BRANDON MARCELLO Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Sunday, March 9, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/62982/

Arkansas coach John Pelphrey doesn’t think Patrick Beverley can carry the Razorbacks solely on his shoulders into the postseason.

One player can’t score all the points, grab all the rebounds and force doubledigit turnovers, obviously.

“ We need everybody, ” Pelphrey said Saturday night.

But in the Hogs’ regularseason finale, the sophomore certainly made a valid argument that perhaps he can at least shoulder most of the load when needed.

Beverley hit a perfect 6 of 6 three-pointers, including four in the first half during a 32-12 run, to propel his six senior teammates Sunday to a 77-64 victory over Auburn during Arkansas’ senior day.

“ Beverley’s 3 s were just terrific, ” Auburn head coach Jeff Lebo said. “ We’ll take our chances with our size with guys shooting the ball out on the perimeter, but he just made them today. ”

The Tigers played zone for most of the first half on defense and Beverley made the visitors pay every time he caught the ball in the corner. The sophomore took four shots in the first half --all were three-point makes.

On a day for Arkansas ’ seniors, Beverley was in the middle of the spotlight.

That couldn’t have been said two weeks ago.

The Chicago native hit a three-game stretch late last month that demeaned his confidence. In those games against LSU, Kentucky and Alabama, Beverley failed to reach double digits in scoring and he quickly grew frustrated. He hit just 6 of 25 shots and his Hogs lost two important games. Pelphrey, though, kept coaxing the sophomore to work hard and continue shooting.

“ I think it was a point in time that the coaches had more confidence in me than I had in myself, ” Beverley said.

On Saturday, Beverley’s game and season high 27 points was the third consecutive game in his personal comeback since Arkansas ’ 59-56 loss at Alabama on Feb. 27.

Against Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Auburn in the last seven days, Beverley has connected on 14 of 21 threepointers.

“ He was in the gym every night working on his shot, ” senior for ward Dar ian Townes said.

Beverley has practiced by himself for at least one hour every night in an empty Bud Walton Arena before or after practice since the Alabama loss. The work, obviously, has paid off.

More than half of Beverley’s shot attempts in the last three games have been beyond the arc. So why all the 3-point attempts ?

“ A 3 is always better than a 2 or 1, ” Beverley reasons.

“ He’s really playing better here down the stretch, ” Lebo said. “ With their inside game and with him stepping up making perimeter shots.... If they get two guys making perimeter shots, they’re going to be pretty tough to beat. ”