Tik Tok star among bevy of talented women’s hoops recruits Arkansas has hosted

BY DUDLEY E. DAWSON

FAYETTEVILLE – Like almost every other college basketball coach right now, Arkansas women’s head hoops coach Mike Neighbors is working on filling out next season’s roster.

That coincides with the start of the month-long late signing period that began on Tuesday and a transfer portal period being open as well.

The Razorbacks (18-15 and 6-10 in SEC action last season, have hosted four players in the last two weeks, including national junior college player player of the year and social media sensation Waiata Jennings of Collin County (Texas).

Jennings, a 5-9 New Zealand native who is also a model and influencer, has a whopping 388,000 Tik Tok followers.

She joined 6-foot-4 Barton County (Kan.) Community College standout and Nigerian native Vera Ojenuwa as junior college stars taking official visits to Fayetteville this week along with Wichita State transfer and Spain native Daniela Abies (6-0).

The Razorback hosted Rutgers sophomore guard Kaylene Smikle (6-0) the previous week, but she committed to Maryland on Thursday.

“We are bringing pieces in to fit what we are lacking depth-wise, roster-wise that will help is with what we know we have to do in the league and with Texas and Oklahoma coming in,” Neighbors said. “Like I have telling people we have are the same people that came in here when it (the 2017 SEC record) was 2-14 and not 6-10. We have a good plan.”

The Razorback added one of the nation’s best scorers earlier this spring in 5-9 Arkansas State transfer guard Izzy Higginbottom, a former Batesville star who averaged 22.7 points last season to finish eighth in the country.

Arkansas also signed two high school signees back in November in 6-3 guard Jada Bates of Powder Springs (GA) McEachern and 5-9 guard Phoenix Stotijn of Haarlem, Netherlands.

Jennings, a first-team All American this past season, averaged 21.7 points per game with 739 points this season, ranked second nationally in total points and fifth in points per game.

She also contributed 7.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while recording 122 steals for a ream that finished 30-3.

Abies, from Malaga, Spain, started 30 games for Wichita State last season while averaging 13.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest.

The Razorbacks lost Taliah Scott (Auburn), Jersey Wolfenbarger (LSU) and Saylor Poffenbarger (undecided) to the transfer portal and super senior Makayla Daniels to eligibility.

“Our signees are signed and they are all coming so our roster set as of tomorrow would be 11,” Neighbors said. “So we still have four scholarships that we can fill.

“And when I say four, Lauren (Lindsey) is actually a walk on so we actually have a fifth scholarship if needed. I don’t know that we will use them all, but we have had two visits and have four more planned that are already on the books.”

Neighbors has plans to willingly use the transfer portal this off season to add to his team, something he didn’t do last season.

“The portal changes minutely – not hourly, not daily, it changes minutely,” Neighbors said. “So we have got plans for four scheduled visits and we are talking to another handful of kids that are talking to lots of schools right now.

“On the women’s side, and I can only speak to the women’s side because I don’t now much about the men’s, it seems like people go into the portals and they don’t make decisions very fast. They wait to see relative to who all else is going and where all else they can go.

“So it seems to be faster in and slower to commit. I think you are going to see a lot of activity as we get closer to the close of the portal.”

Arkansas signees (3):

• Izzy Higginbottom, PG, 5-9, Batesville (Arkansas State)
• Jada Bates, G, 6-3, Powder Springs (GA) McEachern

• Phoenix Stotijn, G, 5-9, Haarlem, Netherlands

• • •
Official visitors:

Daniela Abies, F, 6-0, F, Malaga, Spain (Wichita State)

Waiata Jennings, SG, 5-9, Rotura, New Zealand, (Frisco, Texas, Collin County CC)

 Vera Ojenuwa, F, 6-4, Lagos, Nigeria (Great Bend, Kan., Butler CC)•

  Kaylene Smikle, F, 6-2, Farmingdale, N.Y. (Rutgers) – committed to Maryland