THE RECRUITING GUY : Hall’s Walton shines in championship game victory
Posted on Tuesday, May 20, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/226316/
Little Rock Hall junior point guard A. J. Walton showed in the AAU 17-and-under state tournament championship game at Little Rock Central on Sunday why he has multiple scholarship offers. Walton scored 23 points, made 7 assists and recorded 5 steals for the Arkansas Wings Gold as they defeated the Arkansas Wings Red 68-65.
Walton, who has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Missouri, and Marquette, is an excellent ball handler, passer and penetrator.
“I’m good at giving out assists and getting to the basket with ease,” said Walton, who was named Mr. Basketball by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette recently. “I need to work on my defense and my outside shot and pull-up jump shot.”
Walton, 6-1, 180 pounds, said he favors Arkansas, Marquette, Baylor and Oklahoma. He has several reasons for liking each school.
“I’m an Arkansas boy, I grew up here,” said Walton, who’s also receiving interest from Florida, Colorado and Tulsa. “Coach [John ] Pelphrey and I have a good relationship. There are a lot of people down here that want me to go to Arkansas. I try to go up there as much as I can.”
Walton is fond of the Baylor coaching staff.
“I love the coaching staff,” Walton said. “I love Baylor all together. The school is beautiful and Waco [Texas ] is a wonderful place to be. The coaches said they were really interested in me and wanted me to play for them.”
Marquette, who offered Walton a scholarship last week, is where his favorite NBA player attended college.
“My favorite NBA player is Dwyane Wade,” he said. “I pattern my game after him, and I try to be like him. Marquette is a top 10 school. I love them.”
Former Arkansas assistant coach Oronde Taliaferro is recruiting Walton for the Sooners.
“Me and Coach Taliaferro have a good relationship,” Walton said. “I’ve been up there plenty of times. They’re just a good allround group of coaches.”
Arkansas Wings Coach Ron Crawford said Walton does what a point guard should do: make his teammates better.
“A. J. does things people may not recognize,” Crawford said. “He makes everybody on that team better. If you want to set your defense to go right or left, it doesn’t matter. He’s going to go wherever he wants to go. Defensively, he’s just relentless. He’s such a competitor. A. J. hates to lose.”
Walton plans to make his college decision before the start of his senior year.
Rogers forward Aaron Hawley, who plays for the Arkansas Wings Red, is another 2009 prospect who stood out Sunday.
Crawford said Hawley is showing improvement and gaining the interest of college coaches.
“Hawley just keeps getting better every weekend,” Crawford said. “We already know Colorado has some interest in him. UALR and a lot of teams are looking at him. He’s definitely going to get a college scholarship at the middle or upper level.” Hawley, 6-7, 195, showed good athletic ability and an excellent shooting touch while scoring 17 points in the championship game Sunday. Hawley average 16 points per game and five rebounds for Rogers last season.
15-YEAR-OLDS OFFERED Arkansas Wings Coach Ron Crawford said the Razorbacks offered scholarships to two members of the 15-under Wings this weekend. Forward Hunter Mickelson, 6-9, 170, of Jonesboro Westside and guard Kye Madden, 6-4, 180, of East Pointsett County are both ninth-graders. They are the second and third members of the 15-under Wings to get offered by Arkansas. Pulaski Academy guard / forward Aaron Ross, 6-7, 205, orally committed to the Hogs in early March. Mickelson, who averaged 15. 5 points, 9 rebounds and 5. 5 blocks this past season, also has drawn interest from Ole Miss. Madden played in eight games for the high school team and averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists a game. He already has an offer from Baylor and is receiving attention from Ole Miss and Memphis.
ROGERS VISITS UA North Little Rock defensive end Anthony Rogers, 6-4, 230, 4. 78 seconds in the 40-yard dash, made an unofficial visit to Arkansas last Thursday. Defensive tackles coach Bobby Allen showed Rogers Arkansas’ weight room and practice facilities. “It was better than I expected,” said Rogers, who has a 345-pound bench press and a 455 squat. “That was my first time visiting. The facilities were real nice.” Razorbacks recruiting coordinator Tim Horton was at North Little Rock on Monday checking Rogers out. Rogers, who orally committed to Mississippi State on April 18, said he planned to attend Arkansas’ senior camp July 19. He has offers from Tulsa, Baylor and Ole Miss. MIZZOU WANTS BARLOW Pulaski Academy wide receiver Neal Barlow, 6-6, 195, 4. 6, was offered a scholarship by Missouri last week. The Tigers join Arkansas and Tulsa with offers. Barlow caught 81 passes for 1, 164 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Michigan State, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Ohio State are also looking hard at Barlow. Razorbacks recruiting coordinator Tim Horton was at Pulaski Academy last Thursday.
HOGS LIKE FLORIDA RB Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino offered a scholarship to St. Augustine, Fla., running back Cardale Brown last week, according to St. Augustine Coach Joey Wiles. “He’s a physical kid, very strong,” Wiles said. “He bench presses 310 pounds and [power ] cleans about 260. He’s a tough runner, but he’s got good speed, and he’s a very, very disciplined kid.” Brown 5-11, 190, 4. 5, ran for more than 1, 000 yards last season for the 13-2 Class 3 A Yellowjackets. E-mail Richard Davenport at rdavenport@arkansasonline. com