The biggest concern for Arkansas coming into the season revolved around who would replace the production of do-it-all forward Moses Kingsley.
But on a team with six seniors, it’s been a freshman that appears to have the answers to the Razorbacks’ frontcourt questions.
Daniel Gafford, the 6-11 center from El Dorado, has gotten off to a fast start in his Arkansas career, with Friday’s performance in the 83-75 win over Fresno State being the big man’s most impressive outing yet.
Gafford scored 25 points on 9 of 11 shooting from the floor in 30 minutes of action. He also grabbed eight rebounds and racked three blocked shots.
Aside from the blocked shots tally (which he tied in the opener against Samford), all of those numbers were season highs for Gafford.
Gafford = 10 Dunks in 3 Games. ? pic.twitter.com/2f9REI5yDX
— Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball (@RazorbackMBB) November 18, 2017
That type of output from him could make the Hogs one of the most dangerous teams in the SEC by the time conference play rolls around in December.
Mike Anderson already has one of the best guard combos in the country in Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford, and as we’ve already seen through the first week of the season, both of those players are even better than they were a year ago.
What Arkansas also has going for it is the tenacious defensive pressure, which has already forced 53 turnovers through three games.
This team is athletic as it gets, and the “Fastest 40” style is full effect early on.
But again, it’s Gafford that has a chance to be the key piece that puts Arkansas in position to get back to the NCAA Tournament and challenge for an SEC regular season title.
He will need to continue to develop in all phases of the game as the Hogs start to face stiffer competition as the season progresses.
That will start with next week’s PK80 game against Oklahoma, which will feature matchups against the talented Khadeem Lattin, 6-10 sophomore Matt Freeman, and 6-9 freshman Brady Manek.
A second round matchup against North Carolina could also be in the cards, and that would see Gafford go toe to toe with star freshman Garrison Brooks. There may be also be intriguing matchups in potential games against Michigan State and Oregon as well.
All of these opportunities will be learning experiences for Anderson’s young prodigy, and it’ll help him keep improving each game.
But as Gafford showed against Fresno State, he’s more than ready for the challenge.
And luckily for the Razorbacks, they may have found their new Kingsley in the frontcourt.