Portis, Beard Put on Show

Arkansas signee Bobby Portis (6-10, 220) has 26 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks to lead Little Rock Hall over Little Rock Parkview 73-66 despite 25 points from Razorback junior target Anton Beard - who is very interested in joining Portis in Fayetteville.

LITTLE ROCK - Little Rock Parkview junior star Anton Beard loves playing against Little Rock Hall and Arkansas signee Bobby Portis, but he thinks he teaming up in college might be the right idea.

That’s what Beard (6-0, 180) said Tuesday night after Hall downed Parkview 73-66 at Cirks Arena to claim the 7A/6A Central conference crown.

Portis (6-10, 220) – recently named a McDonald’s All-American - had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks for the Warriors (20-5, 11-0) in the win while Beard had 25 points to lead the Patriots (21-3, 9-2).

“Bobby has changed his game a lot since the ninth grade,” Beard said. “I hope one day that I might end up him one day in college. I love playing against him. But I think I would like to play with him. He has heart and he never gives up on his team. He plays with intensity the whole game.”

That might happen since Beard - a four-star point guard per Scout.com - has re-opened his recruitment after de-committing from Missouri last week.

“It was a family decision and we just thought that I did it a little too early,” Beard said. “There are a lot of scholarships coming through now and we’ll just see what is best for me at the end of the day.”

Beard made it clear that he has a great deal of interest in head coach Mike Anderson’s Razorbacks, who had assistant T.J. Cleveland on hand for the game on Tuesday night.

“I am very interested in Arkansas and they are way up there for me,” Beard said. “Their guys come out and play hard every day and play that 40 minutes of Hell.

“My relationship with Coach Anderson and Coach Cleveland is good and they call and let me know they are interested,” Beard added. “I think it might be a good fit.”

So does Portis, who would love to see Beard join him down the line as a Razorback.

“He is a strong physical guard that can really drive to the hole and really create off the dribble,” Portis said. “I feel like me and him could do great things at Arkansas on the pick-and-roll. I can screen for him and pick-and-pop. I think it would be real cool for us to be a good 1-2 punch.”

Portis would love for that to be in front of the type crowd he was a part of last Saturday when the Razorbacks downed Missouri 73-71 before 19,004 fans at Bud Walton Arena.

“That was crazy,” Portis said. “All the fans were into it, the students were going crazy. That’s what I want it to be like all the time when we get there.”

Portis has now achieved three of his four goals this season – making the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic games and winning a conference title.

“This feels great, but now the big thing is to go out and win our fourth state title in a row,” Portis said of the state tournament next week at Greenwood. “I’ve just got to keep on grinding.”

These same two teams could see each other again in the Class 6A state title game.

“It’s not over and we are probably going to see them again,” Parkview head coach Al Flanigan said. “It’s not over and we believe in that. It will be a disappointment if we are not the last team standing.”





Bobby Portis





Anton Beard