Hog Freshman Ringing the Bell from Deep
By: Adam Alter
Updated: February 26, 2013
Anthlon Bell shocked Georgia last week coming off the bench to hit five three pointers. He finished with a career high 17 points.
"It was fun," Bell said. "It was a big confidence boost for me. I just know I can come in. Coach has got the ultra confidence in me now."
The freshman's long range prowess is nothing new. His teammates call him "Shoot Soon."
"Yeah that's the nickname I gave him when I met him earlier this year," junior guard BJ Young said. "Shoot soon as he gets in."
But Bell's defensive deficiencies had previously kept him out of games.
"I think it's improved enormously, especially coming in from high school," Bell said. "I was a pretty good defensive player but coming into college was a big set back. So I had to work hard on defense. it's just about determination."
"He's ready to play now," head coach Mike Anderson said. "He's got good basketball intelligence, good instincts. But more importantly, he can put the ball in the hole."
The rookie followed up his Bulldog bonanza with four triples at Florida Saturday.
"He's been doing it in practice," Anderson said. "It was just a matter of him taking it to the game. "He's playing with a lot of confidence."
"I know when I knock down the first one, I know probably the next two or three are going in too," Bell boasted. "Knowing me, I think I can't miss a shot once I hit the first one."
"He's one of those guys that I know he can miss three in a row but I know he has the capacity to hit four in a row," Anderson said.
"That's a big boost for me knowing that even though I might miss a couple, he has the confidence that I might knock down two or three more," Bell said.
At a 36% clip in SEC play, Bell's aerial aptitude helps open up the court for the Razorbacks.
"It's important," Anderson said. "We haven't lit the world up in three point shot. You'll se him out on the floor quite a bit."
"It was fun," Bell said. "It was a big confidence boost for me. I just know I can come in. Coach has got the ultra confidence in me now."
The freshman's long range prowess is nothing new. His teammates call him "Shoot Soon."
"Yeah that's the nickname I gave him when I met him earlier this year," junior guard BJ Young said. "Shoot soon as he gets in."
But Bell's defensive deficiencies had previously kept him out of games.
"I think it's improved enormously, especially coming in from high school," Bell said. "I was a pretty good defensive player but coming into college was a big set back. So I had to work hard on defense. it's just about determination."
"He's ready to play now," head coach Mike Anderson said. "He's got good basketball intelligence, good instincts. But more importantly, he can put the ball in the hole."
The rookie followed up his Bulldog bonanza with four triples at Florida Saturday.
"He's been doing it in practice," Anderson said. "It was just a matter of him taking it to the game. "He's playing with a lot of confidence."
"I know when I knock down the first one, I know probably the next two or three are going in too," Bell boasted. "Knowing me, I think I can't miss a shot once I hit the first one."
"He's one of those guys that I know he can miss three in a row but I know he has the capacity to hit four in a row," Anderson said.
"That's a big boost for me knowing that even though I might miss a couple, he has the confidence that I might knock down two or three more," Bell said.
At a 36% clip in SEC play, Bell's aerial aptitude helps open up the court for the Razorbacks.
"It's important," Anderson said. "We haven't lit the world up in three point shot. You'll se him out on the floor quite a bit."
