MONETTE -- Buffalo Island Central has had plenty of success in basketball over the years, yet until Wednesday, the Mustangs never had a player sign at the Division I level.
BIC senior Brandon Ballard signed a national letter of intent to play for Arkansas State University at the Mustang Athletic Complex.
BIC, led by Ballard, will be among the eight teams making up the eighth annual Forrest City Grocery/Rumble on the Ridge boys' basketball tournament, Nov. 26-27, at Forrest City's Mustang Arena.
Also Wednesday, LSU Tigers' basketball coach John Brady announced he had received the signed national letter-of-intent papers from two high school seniors headlined by Denham Springs' nationally recognized recruit, Tasmin Mitchell.
Mitchell played in the 2003 Rumble tournament as a junior with Denham Springs and the Yellowjackets reached the championship game, losing to Little Rock's Pulaski Academy.
"I really wasn't looking anywhere other than ASU," Ballard said. "I knew it was a great school and then I went over and visited with Coach (Dickey) Nutt, and I loved him. He's a great guy. He's got great morals. His type of game and that university, I just know it's going to excel.
"I know they're going to get better and they're going to keep getting better. I think it's a great university and coaching staff for me to go in to."
Ballard is the first BIC player to play at the Division I level in basketball and will be the first player under 20-year coaching legend Bill Taylor to do so. Taylor is in his seventh season at BIC.
For the last two seasons, Ballard has been a part of one of the most explosive offensive combinations in AA along with Brooks Taylor. Both average more than 20 points a game and have the Mustangs at 7-0 already this season.
As a sophomore, Ballard averaged 22 points a game and followed with an average of 20.5 his junior season.
Taylor, a former ASU player, said the Indians are getting an extremely hard worker and a true fundamental player in Ballard.
"He's not flashy. He's a pure shooter," Taylor said. "He can just fill it up. ... His attitude is very under control. I think he is the type of player that will develop into a fine college player."
Taylor said going from a small AA high school to a Division I school will be an adjustment for the 6-4 Ballard, but one he thinks he can make.
Nutt also signed Ashton Farmer of Charleston High School in Missouri, on Wednesday.
He said Ballard is a player ASU has been waiting on for a long time.
"He comes from a very good program with a very good coach. Coach Taylor knows what he is doing and runs a very disciplined program," Nutt said. "We're very proud of Brandon because he is a Northeast Arkansas boy who is home grown. We always evaluate this area first and we're so glad he has committed."
Ballard said it was important to sign somewhere close to home so that his parents and his fans can come see him play.
"All the fans that come to our game, there will be 30 percent of them that buy ASU season tickets just because of the fact that they like us to play basketball," he said.
With the signing out of the way, Brandon Ballard is ready to concentrate on his final season and hopeful to get BIC its long-awaited state championship.
"I don't have to worry about phone calls or anyone else trying to get me," Ballard said. "I can focus on our team now. Now I know that the pressure is off and hopefully we can get into the state tournament and win one."
Mitchell and Florence, Ore., point guard Ben Voogd were the first two to return letters to the LSU basketball office since the fall national signing period began Wednesday.
Mitchell, who was near the top of everyone's recruiting lists, signed early Wednesday at Denham Springs High School.
The 6-7 Parade All-American forward averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds for Denham Springs in earning all-state honors in the state's top class, 5A. He is currently listed as the nation's third best small forward in the country and the 11th-ranked senior prospect overall in the country by Rivalshoops.com.
Mitchell and Denham Springs will be paired up against another nationally recognized player in the first round of the Rumble when they go against Poplar Bluff, Mo., led by North Carolina signee and top-five ranked Tyler Hansbrough.
That matchup will be at 8 p.m., Thanksgiving Day.
"We are extremely excited about the signing of Tasmin," Brady said. "We have literally watched Tasmin grow up right in front of our eyes. He has not only developed into one of the finest high school players in the country, but also has become an even finer young man. He will have an immediate impact on our program in every way possible from competing, playing, winning, fan support and will represent LSU basketball in a very positive, first-class way. We have taken another big step forward with our program with the addition of Tasmin to our team."
Voogd is preparing for his senior season at Siuslaw High in Florence and averaged 28 points, 8.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds as a junior.
The point guard stands 6-1 and weights 180 pounds.
The LSU coaches saw him this past summer when he played for the Oregon Rebels during AAU Tournaments in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Other nationally recognized prep basketball players headed to the 2004 Rumble, include Monta Ellis from Lanier, Miss, who has verbally committed to Mississippi State; junior Demond Carter from Reserve Christian in Reserve, La.; junior phenoms Wayne Chism and Willie Kemp, from Bolivar, Tenn and Terry Martin from Richwood High School in Monroe, La., who has committed to Texas Tech.
The Rumble host team, Forrest City, will feature super sophomores Stephon Weaver and Marcus Britt, who have also gained national attention.
The Wheatley Invitational junior high boys' and girls' tournament begins today at Wheatley Gym.
Brinkley and Cross County will open the tournament at 4 p.m. in a junior girls game followed by the Brinkley and Cross County junior boys at 5:30 p.m.
The two winners will return Saturday to take on Palestine-Wheatley in the girls' final at 4 p.m., and the boys' final at 5:30 p.m.
Palestine-Wheatley is scheduled to host Cross County Tuesday at Patriot Gym for a three-game set featuring the junior and senior girls and the senior boys.
*The Forrest City Mustangs will play in a scrimmage-style jamboree tonight at Pine Bluff High School.
The Mustangs will face Pine Bluff at 7:15 p.m. for a quarter and than take on North Little Rock at 8 p.m. for a quarter.
*The Hughes junior-senior girls game, scheduled for tonight at Osceola, has been cancelled due to the football playoffs.