Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

12/19/2011 at 3:00pm

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Sylvan Hillis' swingman Archie Goodwin scored 27 in a recent battle of in-state prospects headed out of state. Goodwin is going to Kentucky.

Texas Tech basketball coach Billy Gillispie came a long way to see a basketball player he had already for his Red Raiders. He picked a great night to see Pulaski Academy star and future Red Raider Dusty Hannahs.

Matched up often on both the defensive and offensive ends with University of Kentucky signee Archie Goodwin of Sylvan Hills, Hannahs got loose for 43 points in the Class 4A Bruins' 82-72 win over the 5A Bears in the Saturday night finale of the eight-game, all-day Arkansas Hoops Challenge.

Hannahs hit 11 of 18 field goals and  21 of 24 free throws. Maybe the only disappointing aspect of the 6-5 guard's game was missing all four 3-point attempts — he's regarded as one of the best outside shooters in the state — but Hannahs dished out three assists, had four rebounds and a steal in playing all but one minute.

"He played great," Gillispie said after greeting at least two-dozen well-wishers and Hannahs family friends after the game. Gillispie spent most of the game sitting with Dusty's dad, Gerald Hannahs, one of the great baseball pitchers produced in Central Arkansas a generation ago.

"It was fun to watch him. It was a big game, you could tell; two premier players and two good teams."

Gillispie caught a scheduling break with the Red Raiders that allowed him and an assistant coach to fly in Saturday evening for the Challenge, staged at Maumelle High School. Tech had a day off and had Grambling State coming in for a Sunday night game in Lubbock.

"I hadn’t seen Dusty since we had signed him in November," Gillispie said. "I was eager to come out here and they said this was going to be the best game, so we wanted to be here for it."

Hannahs wasn't going to beat Sylvan Hills by himself, though. He had terrific support from guard Brandon Brady and others. When starting center Hunter Henry was on the bench in foul trouble, the smaller Tyler Colquitt and Jeremy Brady filled in nicely with 5 rebounds each.

TOUGH NIGHT FOR ARCHIE: The other star of the game, Goodwin, didn't fare so well. He eventually got his points, refusing to give the ball up in the final minutes when the game was decided, and finished with 27 points on 6 of 18 shooting (2 of 9 from beyond the 3-point stripe. The future UK Wildcat missed 8 of his 21 foul shots. He had 8 rebounds, but also committed 6 of Sylvan Hills' 11 turnovers.

What the stat sheet didn't show was the lackadaisical attitude that Goodwin displayed when he didn't have the basketball. He didn't turn it on defensively or show his good leaping ability until late when he swatted away a PA shot inside from behind.

But the most disappointing aspect of Goodwin's night came in the final seconds of the first half, when he was closely defending on a crossover and drive to the basket and missed a layup. Goodwin vehemently protested in the direction of two of the three game officials as he walked off the court, seemingly wanting to be T'd up.

Such petulance seemed unusual for a guy who has generally been one of the nicest "stars" we've encountered off the court.

At that point, PA was outplaying the Bears and leading 40-26. Sylvan Hills would get only as close as eight points in the final five minutes, and Goodwin had better control of his temper in the last 16 minutes.

At times, the near full-house at Maumelle High School's new gymnasium saw glimpses of what led national recruiting services to rank Goodwin among the top 15 players in this senior class — amazing athleticism in a 6-foot-6 frame. What we didn't see was a consistent outside shot, but that was true with most of the Bears, who hit just 6 of 23 3-pointers. Dion Patton's 2-for-4 on 3-pointers was the best. Patton played hard throughout, and he scored 17 points.

Afterward, Goodwin, who has taken to Twitter (@a1laflare10) as much as any Arkansas high school basketball star and even revealed his commitment to Kentucky via Twitter earlier in the fall, chose a Tweet to express his disappointment in the final result. "If our team continues to be selfish we won't win state.," he said.

Unlike Hannahs, Goodwin's future head coach, John Calipari, wasn't in the house.

WORKING THE FOOTBALL OUT: Pulaski Academy junior center Hunter Henry played only 17 of the game's 32 minutes because of foul trouble. But when he was on the court, he was a difference maker with 9 points, a blocked shot and a steal. His block came of a Goodwin shot in the lane, and he also drew a charge on Goodwin in the second half.

Plus, the 6-6 big man knocked down a 3-pointer (his only attempt) and all four of his foul shots.

Hunter's college sport — no question about it — will be football. He showed throughout the 2011 season as one of Fredi Knighten's most dependable receiving threats that he'll be as sought after as any tight end in this region, if not the nation, in 2012.

Even though the 2012 signing class isn't in the barn and won't be until early February, Henry has to be Priority No. 1 for the Razorbacks in the 2013 signing class.

Henry is just a week removed from helping the Bruins to the 4A state football title with two touchdown receptions in the 63-28 win over Malvern.

His father, Mark Henry, was a star offensive lineman for Little Rock Central and the Razorbacks in the 1980s and is a teaching pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in west Little Rock.

Email: jharris@abpg.com or follow Jim on Twitter @jimharris360

Tagged: Arkansas Hoops Challenge, Pulaski Academy Bruins, Dusty Hannahs, Hunter Henry, Archie Goodwin, Maumelle High School, Sylvan Hills Bears