Video Courtesy of: Chuck Constantino @CConstan3
Rarely does a 6'9" 250 pound, skilled basketball player fly under the radar in Arizona. However, Cassius Smits- Francisco's journey allowed him to slip through the cracks, but he is emerging as a big name on the recruiting trail, FAST.
Background
Originally from the Netherlands, the nephew of "The Flying Dutchman" Rik Smits moved to Indiana at the start of high school. Cassius began to make a name for himself in the Hoosier state, playing at Zionsville High School. At that time, he was receiving interest from Butler, Purdue, and Xavier. Knee injuries forced him to miss a significant amount of time and essentially fall off the map.
In August, Smits- Francisco arrived in Arizona and enrolled at Cactus Shadows high School, where he estimates he was about 40% in terms of health. With the injury keeping him out of meaningful competition, very few in the state knew he existed.
Breakout Performance
That all changed this weekend at the West Coast Elite's SoCal Hoop Review in Garden Grove, CA. Playing for Powerhouse Hoops' 17u Red, he was dominant on both ends of the floor. He scored at a high rate in the post and off of offensive rebounds, anchoring a high scoring attack. Defensively, he showed versatility by blocking and altering shots at the rim, yet being able to move his feet well enough to switch onto guards coming off ball screens.
Recruiting
His impressive play drew the attention of many in the building, including college coaches. Cassius was able to do enough to put himself on the radar and gain interest from several division 1 schools. Those schools include Memphis, Idaho, and Pacific. Still only about 80% health-wise, the big man should see a rapid rise in his recruitment as he gets to full strength. You can see him playing this upcoming weekend at the West Coast Elite Spring Classic in Las Vegas.
