Fast Start

In his weekly recruiting column, Dudley E. Dawson checks in on how the five signees in Arkansas' highly-celebrated 2011 class have started their senior seasons. This story is free and sponsored by the Arkansas Toyota Dealers. Click on the Arkansas Toyota banner.

While the current Razorback basketball players ready for their biggest challenge of the season Friday night in North Little Rock, the future Razorbacks are all off to great high school senior seasons.

Florrisant (Mo.) McCluer North guard B.J. Young – the highest-ranked player in a 2011 class ranked No. 3 nationally – led his team to a 100-36 win over Carnahan Wednesday night in its senior opener.

Young, a 6-3 guard regarded as a Top 20 player nationally by Scout. Com, had a game-high 25 points.

He also appears to be settling in at McCluer North after averaging 17.2 points for Hazelwood Central last season before being suspended.

"He's not had one problem," North head coach Randy Reed told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The school is adapting to him. They love him and he loves the school."

Arkansas has offered Young’s teammate Jordan Granger, a 6-8 junior forward who also has offers from Missouri and St. Louis University.

Perhaps no one has started out better in Arkansas’ vaunted 2011 signing class than Seagoville (Texas) big DeVonta Abron (6-8, 223).

Abron has opened with two double-doubles in two close wins for his team.

He poured in 38 points and 17 rebounds against Mesquite Horn in a 56-53 win after dropping 30 points and collecting 12 caroms in a 60-59 win over Samuel.

“I just go out and work hard and try to grab every rebound and do whatever I can to help my team win,” Abron said. “I am about winning, not about how many points or rebounds I have.”

Aaron Ross had 25 points and 7 rebounds and slammed home two dunks as he led his Little Rock Parkview squad to a 71-38 humbling of Little Rock Central.

The Patriots are off to a 3-0 start and appear to be one of the favorites to win the Class 6A tournament this season after falling in the quarterfinals of this past season’s event.

“Ross is who he is,” Central head coach Oliver Fitzpatrick said. “We know who he is. But they’ve got a whole lot more over there than Aaron Ross.”

East Poinsett County guard Rashad Madden had a spectacular night on Tuesday with 24 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and 3 steals in his team’s 92-51 rout of Marked Tree.

Hunter Mickelson, the 6-10, 210-pound forward from Huntsville, had a 20-point, 12-rebound and 2-block game in his team’s 46-33 recent win over Paragould.

That came after an opening night where he was plagued by foul trouble, but still netted 15 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and had 3 blocks in a 77-49 win over Bay.

Mickelson, Ross and Madden along with Sylvan Hills 2012 prospect Archie Goodwin will all be on display Dec. 18 at the Arkansas Hoops Challenge in Little Rock.