By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach John Pelphrey admits there are moments when he ponders the possibility.
What would it really be like to have each one of his scholarship players available? How much more improved could they really be on the court?
“I might have 10 or 15 seconds of that,” Pelphrey said Thursday afternoon, snapping back to reality. “And I quickly realize that’s not the real world.”
Arkansas’ growing hope of returning to full strength was dealt another blow Wednesday, when guards Rotnei Clarke (knee) and forward Michael Sanchez (feet) missed the Alabama State win.
The two joined point guard Courtney Fortson (indefinite suspension) on the sideline, leaving the Razorbacks with eight scholarship players.
That doesn’t sound bad when you consider Arkansas opened the season with just six scholarship players available, largely because of suspensions. But players had slowly returned and Fortson was the only one missing when the Razorbacks beat Delaware State on Dec. 7.
Then the injuries hit.
But Pelphrey said they won’t deter his team as it tries to win its fourth straight against Stephen F. Austin in Bud Walton Arena on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s going to make me better as a coach,” Pelphrey said. “It’s going to make our basketball team better. It’s going to make our program better.
“This is a program that has never made excuses, never backed away from a challenge and we’re not about to start now.”
Pelphrey did say the injuries are a concern.
Clarke, who became the seventh scholarship player to miss a game, is questionable for Saturday’s game because of tendonitis in his knee. Sanchez will miss his seventh game with the foot problem and a date for his return has not been set.
But the Razorbacks said they’ll continue to handle the roster absences like they have all season.
“For what we don’t have we’re going to play with heart and passion,” said guard Stefan Welsh, who was suspended for three games. “We’re going to try to go out there and just win basketball games.”
Nobles Struggling
Starting point guard Julysses Nobles committed a season-high five turnovers against Alabama State, continuing a difficult stretch for the freshman.
“I think this last week to two, it’s gotten to be a lot for Julysses,” Pelphrey said. “With having to play extended minutes, with having to play well, having to play against some quality opponents, going to school and everything.”
Nobles is averaging 5.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.8 turnovers the past six games. Pelphrey said the mistakes against Alabama State were unusual for the freshman, but said Nobles needs to learn from it.
“I think it’s part of his maturing process to understand that no matter the opponent, no matter the time, those types of careless penalties you just don’t need to make them,” Pelphrey said.
Game Time
The tip-off time for Saturday’s game against Stephen F. Austin has been changed to 3 p.m.
Originally, the game was set for 7 p.m., but has changed for television. Arkansas-Stephen F. Austin will be televised by the Razorbacks Sports Network.
