High school stars coming to Fort Smith

University of Arkansas fans will get a glimpse of what one of Coach Eric Musselman’s prized 2023 recruits can do today in Fort Smith.

Baye Fall and his Denver-based Accelerated Prep (Colo.) teammates will take part in The Big Show Tip-Off Showcase. The 10-team event will be held at Northside Arena and feature some of the nation’s most sought-after players, starting with Fall.

The 6-11, 205-pound senior committed to the Razorbacks on Tuesday after narrowing his list to Arkansas, Auburn, Rutgers and Seton Hall. The five-star recruit, who is ranked No. 20 nationally by ESPN, averaged nearly 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks last season and will be joined by a slew of other talented recruits, including former Marion standout Jayden Forrest. The 6-1 guard was a three-time, all-conference pick and a two-time, all-stater with the Patriots before making the move to Denver.

Accelerated Prep will also bring Colorado commit Assane Diop, a 6-11 center, senior Marzouq Abdour-Razaaq, a 6-7 forward who holds offers from programs like San Francisco, Radford and Rider, and top-rated junior Mikey Lewis, who’s being recruited heavily by California, San Diego State and Wyoming, among others.

That quintet will be at the forefront at 8 p.m. when Accelerated Prep faces a Link Academy (Mo.) team that has plenty of star power itself.

The Lions, ranked No. 4 in the country, are led by Baylor signee Ja’Kobe Walter, a 6-5 senior who’s ranked as the No. 17 player in the country by ESPN. Link Academy also has other Division I signees in former Marion guard and Memphis commit Ryan Forrest, Tennessee commits Cameron Carr and Cade Phillips, Oklahoma pledgee Jacolb Cole and LSU commit Corey Chest.

In addition, Elliot Cadeau, a 6-1 junior guard who’s rated as the No. 11 player in the Class of 2024 by ESPN, will also suit up for the Lions.

The showcase will begin at noon when Alma faces Springdale Har-Ber, followed by Oklahoma City Southeast and Fort Smith Southside at 2 p.m.

North Kansas City and Little Rock Parkview, powered by 6-7 junior forward and Arkansas target Dallas Thomas, are set to square off at 4 p.m. Northside, which opened its season Thursday at the Hooping For Hoodies Classic with an 88-79 victory over Pine Bluff behind a 32-point performance from Denarion Whitmore, will play former 6A-Central Conference foe Bryant at 6 p.m. before the prime-time matchup between Accelerated Schools and Link Academy.

“I’m looking [forward] to watching them,” Northside Coach Eric Burnett said.