Video: Pelphrey talks freshmen, next season

Arkansas head basketball coach John Pelphrey won’t lie when asked about the prospects of next season. Simply put, it’s going to be tough for his basketball team to overcome inexperience.

Pelphrey spoke with the media Tuesday afternoon on the topics of recruiting, freshmen and next season. Here’s a clip we caught of what he had to say:

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To recap: Gone are Darian Townes, Steven Hill, Vincent Hunter and Charles Thomas in the frontcourt. And make sure to add in Sonny Weems, who will most likely be in drafted high in the second round of the NBA draft, according to an NBA scout I spoke to recently.

Yep. Gone, Pelphrey says, are 70 percent of the scoring, rebounding and assists from last year. And inside the new Razorback basketball house is a group filled with freshmen.

Unproven. New. Small. 

Pelphrey calls the rebuilding project with just one starter returning at the UA a “two-year project.”

But not to fear, Razorback fans, juniors Patrick Beverley, Stefan Welsh and Michael Washington have been leading incoming freshmen Rotnei Clarke and Brandon Moore this summer in workouts.

“I have to say, at this point in time, Patrick, Mike and Stef have done a very good job of looking out for our basketball team right now,” Pelphrey added. “That’s going to be the biggest key of the season — how well our juniors can lead.”

– Brandon Marcello

Filed under: Arkansas Basketball by Brandon Marcello. Posted on: June 11, 2008 at 12:02 am