Busting Brackets
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Arkansas Basketball: Razorbacks adds to historic class with 5-star Anthony Black

By Noah Whitaker

Jan 13, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman looks on during the first half against Louisiana State at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Eric Musselman looks on during the first half against Louisiana State at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ups and downs this past high school season

His season was very irregular, to say the least. Mired in legal conflict versus the University Interscholastic League [UIL] due to his transfer from Coppell High School, there was the uncertainty of potential play. Black was to be suspended at the beginning of the Duncanville basketball season, making his senior season future be put up in the air [at the time].

Details were foggy per the UIL camp, never offering a concrete answer due to why Black could not play. Black did end up playing in several games but was held out for a good portion of the season due to a ruling that there was a possibility of Duncanville having games after-the-fact forfeited.

Black’s guardians, Jennifer Black and Duncanville Head Coach David Peavy [whom he calls his stepfather] offered the explanation for the transfer, citing it was for “purely athletic reasons”. Regardless, the matters of legal holdup did not do any of us basketball fans, recruiters, scouts, or anybody trying to see the hype around Anthony Black.

Black appeared in only 15 out of the 36 games this prior Duncanville season.

Over the course of the lengthy recruitment process there have been forecasts all over speculating where Black was going to go. Even as early going back to his football days which he racked up a couple offers before making the full-time switch to basketball. His father’s athletic legacy at Baylor also had some early momentum but due to the family complications casted a shadow over it, eventually being deemed unlikely.

Recently he announced narrowing down to the five places that had the best possibility of getting his signature: Arkansas, Gonzaga, Oklahoma State, TCU, and the G-League Ignite.

Early on the 247 Crystal Ball prediction forecasted Black to Baylor and Oklahoma State (where he’s visited twice). Gonzaga and Arkansas (where he’s visited twice) have made him a priority over these last couple months. TCU is in his backyard being relatively 30 minutes in commute [Duncanville to Forth Worth], plus have Coach Peavy’s son Micah Peavy playing there.

G-League Ignite has been a trendy option for premier high school basketball players with the aspiration of getting hands-on professional development while also being a direct pipeline to the league. There were pros and cons to each decision in hindsight but eventually Arkansas became the clear cut option.

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