Just a day shy of last Wednesday’s opening to the national signing period, the Razorbacks officially announced Tuesday the three players known to have signed last week.

The trio includes high school seniors Anthony Borden, a 7-foot, 230 pound center from West Memphis, 6-7 power forward Marshawn Powell of Charlottesville, Va., and 6-5 junior college transfer swingman Jemal Farmer of Cloud (Kan.) Community College.

All signed to enroll at Arkansas for the 2009-2010 season.

Arkansas coach John Pelphrey commented on all three players while closing his Tuesday press conference regarding the Razorbacks hosting California-Davis Thursday night at Walton Arena.

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Borden will fill an obvious need as neither of Arkansas’ current starting big men, 6-9 junior Michael Washington and 6-8 redshirt freshman Michael Sanchez, are both power forwards mixing and matching at center.

“Anthony Borden has great, great physical size,” Pelphrey said. “He’s physically strong and well proportioned and plays for Coach (Larry) Bray (the West Memphis coach) who does a great, great job. I really think he’s going to have a chance for a big year. A lot of big guys really get better as they get older. I think he has a chance to do that.”

Powell and Farmer fit Pelphrey’s plans both inside and out.

“We are very, very excited about Marshawn Powell,” Pelphrey said. “He’s a power forward, maybe a consensus top 50 player. Versatile from the 3-point line and perimeter. He can handle it and pass it and shoot it a little bit. He’s very good around the basket as well. A good, good player. He can read defenses.”

Of Farmer, Pelphrey said, “Jemal Farmer is a big, athletic wing, 6-5, 210. He’s got about a 40-inch vertical leap. We needed that with the loss of Pat (Beverley, the 2-year Razorback wingman who turned pro this year). I think Jemal was the leading scorer in the Jayhawk League last year.”