Final 16s came to the DMV and made a statement by going 3-0, stacking two double-digit victories and one close one against Team Melo where they’d win 67-63. The backcourt duo of Carter and Rowan Phillips Rowan Phillips 6'6" | SG Westtown | 2028 State #87 Nation PA is a dynamic one that offers good positional size, athleticism for high-flying finishes in the open floor and for Smith in particular, a dependable outside shooting threat on the catch. He took whatever the defense gave him, but I struggled to find a defender in the gym who could keep him at bay from the point of attack. Is wiry frame allows for a long first step and with improved twitch, playing with a lower center of gravity and an aggression attacking the rim, seeing him go from the top of the key to the bucket in a flash was a common sight.

He was also dialed in defensively as this Final group mixed up their looks with man-to-man, full court traps and even zone for portions of games. Smith was a pest in the passing lanes with good anticipation and ability to generate steals into offense quickly.

He posted an impressive stat line of 17.7PPG, 4.7RPG, 3.3APG and 3.3SPG on shooting splits of 66.7/40.0/73.3.

In the opening quarter against Team Takeover , Smith flew around on defense to help his squad jump out to an early lead that they never relinquished. He created havoc at the point of attack, deflecting passes as soon as they left his man’s hand. The intention Smith put into crashing the boards was notable too. Whether he was when he grabbed a rebound after blocking a shot then started the break or when he got an offensive board, in each instance, he showed the willingness and ability to attack the ball in traffic over bigger players. It wasn’t as loud as his defense either, but Smith was effective slinking his way to the rim in different ways too. 18p 7r 2s 1b

After biding his time for two years behind a trio of high-major prospects since gone to graduation, Smith enjoyed a proper breakout as a sophomore in a go-to role for the first time. While the Quakers took a step back from a team standpoint, Smith shouldered as heavy a burden as anybody in the league on his way to averaging more than 20 points per game. He thrives as a slithery and explosive slasher with advanced dexterity at the rim, and is a consistently efficient shooter out to the perimeter with his feet underneath him. Smith impresses with his commitment to making the right play at all times with an advanced feel for the game for his age as a prolific two-way playmaker. It’s fair to say Smith has about as high an upside as any in the state as his frame starts to mature over time.

Leading an undermanned Penn Charter group that had been blown out by Malvern earlier in the year on its home floor, Smith put together a standout performance despite the loss, keeping things within a couple possessions all the way until the closing minutes. The star sophomore impressed with his ability to put the team on his back while still playing largely mistake-free basketball. He racked up 22 points with his trademark slithery drives and smooth pullup shooting, mixing in some opportunistic scrap points within the flow. Smith also shined as a playmaker, routinely drawing help and making the timely, simple read to set up his surrounding shooters. Defensively, he was a factor in passing lanes and showed his advanced ability as a secondary rim protector from the backcourt. It was easy for anyone looking on to see why Smith is considered among the best of the best in a deep sophomore class across the state.

With two years of varsity reps under his belt as a bench piece behind three high-major upperclassmen, Smith has broken out in a big way under the spotlight of a featured role for the Quakers. The leading scorer among Inter-Ac players at 20.9 points a game, he’s emerged as a three-level scoring threat with particular effectiveness as a dexterous and explosive slasher off the dribble. He shows growing comfort in ball screen situations while standing out as a valuable connective playmaker. Defensively, he’s an instinctive and twitchy playmaker who racks up blocks and steals from the backcourt. He’s shown consistently why he already has the interest of several Power 5 programs.

Among the more dynamic guard prospects in his class, Smith has a couple years of varsity reps under his belt already, having been a key part of the PC rotation since eighth grade. Now with the departure of a loaded 2025 class, he’s getting his first taste of being in a featured role at the high school level and already showing signs of thriving with the increased workload. Smith shared time playing on and off the ball on Sunday, routinely breaking down his man off the dribble with a blend of patience and decisive bursts. He’s always a threat to knock down shots as a floor-spacer off the catch as well as an impactful defensive presence with his length and instincts in the floor game. As Smith gets more consistent finishing in traffic and learns to keep his aggression up at all times, there’s no doubt of his long-term ceiling at the highest levels of college hoops.

With the Jake West and Matt Gilhool era now over at Penn Charter, Smith’s time as one of the primary options at PC is now upon us. Good news…based on what I saw on the spring grassroots circuit from Smith, he is ready to handle that promotion. Smith is an athletic and versatile prospect who can play both guard spots as well as on the wing and even at small forward if needed. He can score at all three levels in the half court. Smith’s dribble drives are extremely smooth. With his speed, agility and attacking nature, Smith is unstoppable in transition. College coaches will love Smith’s willingness to guard for 94-feet and his defensive rebounding.

Name MVP of the Black Team…Smith is an extremely smart, refined guard who can do basically everything on the court. He’s as polished as a freshman scorer as you’ll find in high school basketball. Smith effortlessly creates clean looks for himself and others while mixing it up frequently from all levels. He’s a solid three-point shooter who gets wherever he wants off the bounce, attacks the basket at a constant rate, and makes intelligent decisions with the ball in his hands. Smith is a quality athlete with a strong frame at this stage in his development. He displays great energy and sharp instincts as a defender at the point of attack, and forces turnovers at a nice rate. Given everything he’s shown over two seasons of high school play, it’s difficult to envision Smith slowing down any time soon.

Smith is about as battle-tested a 15U prospect as you’ll find, with two years of high-level varsity experience under his belt having played key minutes for the back-to-back Inter-Ac champs since 8th grade. That experience contributing to winning has paid dividends, as Smith has been a consistent star in his role while stuffing the stat sheet and shining across the floor game on both ends through Team Final ‘s perfect 8-0 start to E15 play. His instincts, efficiency, and versatility stand out consistently as Smith sits top-3 on his team in all five key statistical categories, recording nearly four combined blocks and steals per game while knocking down over 38% of his 3s. That type of well-rounded impact in a utility role has already made Smith a popular name among high-major coaches getting early looks at the rising sophomore class.

Smith is a fast and athletic guard who can generate offense at every level. For the last two seasons, he has been a key factor for a Penn Charter squad that captured back-to-back Inter-Ac titles. Two weeks ago, coaches from Alabama were at a Penn Charter’s open gym to watchSmith play. This past week, coaches from St. Joe’s were on campus to see Smith.