Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Gafford sets pace in debut
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas Razorbacks Coach Mike Anderson has said repeatedly that Daniel Gafford isn’t a savior for the basketball program.
“I want him to go at his own pace,” Anderson said earlier this week at SEC media day. “Of course, some guys’ pace is a lot faster than mine.”
Gafford’s pace looked pretty accelerated in Friday night’s Red-White game.
Gafford, a 6-11 freshman from El Dorado, had 23 points and 15 rebounds to help the White team beat the Red 9569 at Walton Arena before an estimated crowd of 5,000.
“He’s exactly what I thought he was,” senior guard Daryl Macon said. “He’s explosive, active, and he’s just willing to get better each and every day.
“You guys just got a glimpse of it. That’s not even all of it.”
Sophomore guard C.J. Jones said Gafford’s play wasn’t a surprise.
“That’s what we see every day in practice,” Jones said. “He does the same thing every day when we’re scrimmaging.”
Gafford hit 10 of 15 shots, including five dunks.
“I think his energy is contagious,” Anderson said. “You get a big guy that’s that active, man, it just goes throughout your team.
“What I like about him, he rebounds above the rim. He goes and gets rebounds. He’s still got a lot of improvement to do, but you can see the potential there.”
Macon scored 11 of the White team’s first 17 points, including back-to-back three-pointers in the first 53 seconds.
“I thought Daryl set the stage right off in the game,” Anderson said.
Macon had 17 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds.
“I have a chip on my shoulder right now,” Macon said. “I have a point to prove.
Each and every game I’m going to come out strong.”
Macon said he has extra motivation from the voting at SEC media day, where the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville was picked to finish sixth in the conference in a preseason poll and no Razorback was among 12 players on All-SEC first or second teams.
“I personally thought that I should have been on the first or second team,” Macon said. “At the end of the day, it’s a personal opinion.
“I see that they picked us sixth and they didn’t want to pick me for the All-SEC team, so this is how I’m going to play from here on out so at the end of the season, they won’t have a choice.”
Jones led the Red team with 24 points, five steals and four assists. He hit 10 of 18 shots and four of nine 3-pointers.
“The game has kind of slowed down for him,” Anderson said. “He’s always been a guy who could score and shoot the basketball, but he’s doing more things.
“There’s a lot of room to grow for C.J., but I think it’s more of the mindset. In other words, saying, ‘I know I belong out on that floor.’”
Sophomore forward Adrio Bailey had 18 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Red team, and senior guard Anton Beard had 18 points, seven assists and four rebounds.
Senior guard Jaylen Barford had 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the White team. Freshman forward Darious Hall had 14 points, nine rebounds and two steals, and senior forward Dustin Thomas had 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
The White team seemed stacked with Macon and Bar- ford — the top two returning scorers from last season — playing together.
“I wasn’t really worried about it, though,” Jones said. “Because I knew that I could get my shots up with them being on the other team.”
Freshman guard Khalil Garland didn’t play because he hasn’t been medically cleared to play, though he continues to participate in some practice drills.
Senior forward Arlando Cook — who was suspended by Anderson for six weeks after being arrested and charged with misdemeanor first-degree assault, disorderly conduct and public intoxication — rejoined the team for practice Thursday, but he didn’t play Friday night.
Anderson said Cook needs to improve his conditioning.
“He wasn’t up to par, let me put it that way,” Anderson said. “He only practiced one day, so that’s why he didn’t play.”
“He’s [C.J. Jones] always been a guy who could score and shoot the basketball, but he’s doing more things.” — UA basketball coach Mike Anderson