Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

Texas Tech basketball coach Billy Gillispie came a long way to see a basketball player he had already for his Red Raiders. He picked a great night to see Pulaski Academy star and future Red Raider Dusty Hannahs.

Matched up often on both the defensive and offensive ends with University of Kentucky signee Archie Goodwin of Sylvan Hills, Hannahs got loose for 43 points in the Class 4A Bruins' 82-72 win over the 5A Bears in the Saturday night finale of the eight-game, all-day Arkansas Hoops Challenge.

Hannahs hit 11 of 18 field goals and  21 of 24 free throws. Maybe the only disappointing aspect of the 6-5 guard's game was missing all four 3-point attempts — he's regarded as one of the best outside shooters in the state — but Hannahs dished out three assists, had four rebounds and a steal in playing all but one minute.

"He played great," Gillispie said after greeting at least two-dozen well-wishers and Hannahs family friends after the game. Gillispie spent most of the game sitting with Dusty's dad, Gerald Hannahs, one of the great baseball pitchers produced in Central Arkansas a generation ago.

"It was fun to watch him. It was a big game, you could tell; two premier players and two good teams."

Gillispie caught a scheduling break with the Red Raiders that allowed him and an assistant coach to fly in Saturday evening for the Challenge, staged at Maumelle High School. Tech had a day off and had Grambling State coming in for a Sunday night game in Lubbock.

"I hadn’t seen Dusty since we had signed him in November," Gillispie said. "I was eager to come out here and they said this was going to be the best game, so we wanted to be here for it."

Hannahs wasn't going to beat Sylvan Hills by himself, though. He had terrific support from guard Brandon Brady and others. When starting center Hunter Henry was on the bench in foul trouble, the smaller Tyler Colquitt and Jeremy Brady filled in nicely with 5 rebounds each.

TOUGH NIGHT FOR ARCHIE: The other star of the game, Goodwin, didn't fare so well. He eventually got his points, refusing to give the ball up in the final minutes when the game was decided, and finished with 27 points on 6 of 18 shooting (2 of 9 from beyond the 3-point stripe. The future UK Wildcat missed 8 of his 21 foul shots. He had 8 rebounds, but also committed 6 of Sylvan Hills' 11 turnovers.

What the stat sheet didn't show was the lackadaisical attitude that Goodwin displayed when he didn't have the basketball. He didn't turn it on defensively or show his good leaping ability until late when he swatted away a PA shot inside from behind.

But the most disappointing aspect of Goodwin's night came in the final seconds of the first half, when he was closely defending on a crossover and drive to the basket and missed a layup. Goodwin vehemently protested in the direction of two of the three game officials as he walked off the court, seemingly wanting to be T'd up.

Such petulance seemed unusual for a guy who has generally been one of the nicest "stars" we've encountered off the court.