Fresh off his commitment to Morgan State, Smith put together a strong first half filled with hustle plays that impacted the game beyond the box score. The BCL Defensive Player of the Year was tasked with the assignment of Ranson, which exceeded expectations in keeping him contained. Smith’s night was cut short after 2027 MSJ guard Zikom Etolue Zikom Etolue 6'3" | SG Mount St. Joseph | 2027 State MD threw down a dunk and proceeded to taunt Smith that engaged a reaction between both Smith and his teammate. It would ultimately lead to Etolue and Smith being ejected, although no one was harmed during the dispute. Smith’s stat line would read four points and six rebounds, but again, his impact beyond the stat sheet was critical in building early momentum that would sustain throughout the second half.

Morgan State was in attendance for Smith and he further cemented why the Bears should make a push for his commitment sooner rather than later. The lead guard controlled pace, initiated the offense in a half court setting and made key defensive plays both on and off the ball as he flirted with a near triple-double of 10 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. Smith dazzled the crowd with a handful of drive and skips off the live dribble to shooters spotting up around the arc. He made his defender pay if he was given space on the catch and thrived on fastbreaks using his end-to-end speed to play around the rim.

A Delaware native making a return to his home region, Smith packed a punch from the very start with his aggressive downhill attack. He showed a well-rounded skillset off the bounce with a variety of dribble moves to either side into tough finishes with either hand. Smith showed positive flashes defending the ball and turning defense to offense in transition, while also flashing as a jump shooter. He’ll have to mature a bit as a decisionmaker and game manager from the lead guard spot moving forward, but there’s a lot to work with for the hard-nosed, productive young guard.