Wright Smith Combine for 61 Points

For the second time this season, Giles Co. (Tenn.) slipped by Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) By two points for a 72-70 win at Giles Co. Tyler Smith, the No. 19 player in the Rivals75 for the class of 2005, and Brandon Wright, who will be in the top five of the soon to be released Rivals50 for the class of 2006, combined for 61 points.

Tennessee head coach Buzz Peterson and Kansas associate head coach Norm Roberts were both in attendance, recruiting both Smith and Wright.

Despite sitting out the last two minutes of the second quarter and the entire third quarter with foul trouble, Smith scored 30 points on 13 of 24 shooting from the field.

All 13 of Smith’s buckets were either right hand or left hand finishes within five feet of the basket. Smith, who played with a spark in front of a raucous home crowd, continually drove right at the weaker Wright, bullying his way to the basket.

Smith struggled throughout the night to make shots from the outside. He missed both of his three point attempts and both of his fifteen footers. From the free throw line, he was only 4 of 9.

Smith also tallied 9 rebounds.

Wright, on the other hand, scored 31 points on 12 of 15 shooting from the field and 6 of 7 shooting from the line. He utilized a full arsenal of shoots, making his one three point attempt, hitting pull up jumpers driving both right and left, and nailing his patented left hand jump hook and power shots.

Wright also had 11 rebounds and 8 blocked shots. Seven of those blocks came in the first half.

Wright and Smith guarded each other throughout the game. As noted, Smith attacked the rim most every time he had the ball. Down the stretch, Brentwood Academy put four players on the baseline and let the left handed Wright go one on one from the point guard position. During that period, Wright nailed two pull up jumpers and hit a teammate under the basket, leading to two made free throws. But on one pivotal possession, Smith picked Wright’s dribble with 36 seconds left in the game to help secure the win.