Jamar Smith Still Leaning
It's no secret that Maryland is out in the lead for talented 6-9 forward Jamar Smith of Allegany J.C. in Cumberland, Md.
In fact, Terrapins Head Coach Gary Williams was expected to be in attendance last Saturday at the Maryland State JUCO Tournament in Frederick, Md. for Allegany's semifinal game against CCBC/Catonsville.
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"You can speculate Maryland," Kirk said at the event. "There were three or four other ACC schools that have shown an interest."
"North Carolina dropped out after getting a commitment from another player, but there are three others besides Maryland, but like I said, I would speculate Maryland," the veteran coach concluded.
Kirk said that Maryland has put a scholarship offer on the table for Smith, and with good reason. The Terps will lose senior forward Lonny Baxter due to graduation, and could also possibly face the loss of 6-10 sophomore Chris Wilcox to the pro ranks should he opt to put his name in the NBA Draft.
Smith scored 19 points on Friday night to help the Trojans down Chesapeake C.C., 81-50 at the Maryland State JUCO quarterfinals.
Last season, Smith averaged 7.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for Allegany, which finished second in the nation at the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., last March.
This season, Smith has significantly boosted his production for Allegany. Against Chesapeake, he displayed exceptional agility for his size, easily fanning out to the wing to defend smaller players.
He also brandished a polished short-midrange jumper consistently against the Skipjacks last Friday, squaring well to the basket on his shot attempts. Simply put, he has many of the tools necessary to be a contributor at the high D-I level.
"I think Jamar plays with a lot more intensity this year," Kirk said. "He works hard on his passing, and we are trying play him both inside and outside, because I am sure at the next level that he's going to be a three/four combination type player."
JUCO Junction/Rivalshoops.com will keep you posted on Smith's recruitment and Allegany's progress in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.