Cochise prospects playing well in 2006

Smith, along with Jones, is among the most ordinary of American surnames.

However, Andre Smith is no ordinary basketball player.

He is a scoring guard for Coach Jerry Carrillo's high octane Cochise College Apaches (Arizona Community College Athletic Conference). Strong, even at 6-foot, Smith displays explosive athletic ability along with scoring prowess and three-point shooting range.

He currently ranks as the #3 point producer nationwide with a 23.8 ppg. average in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Smith redshirted last season due to a broken foot but has recovered quite nicely. His top game is 40 points against Yavapai on January 11. That total came on three two-pointers, eight three-pointers and 10 free throws. Besides the offensive output, he also grabbed five rebounds, pass for three assists and nabbed two steals.

Smith is being recruited by a number of schools, with the list growing longer each week.

Coach Carrillo, a Tucson native, is in his 11th year at Cochise and also worked as an assistant at Cal State Northridge. He told Spartanhoops recently that Smith came to his program out of Lamar High School in Houston and was the District Most Valuable Player as a prep senior.

"And best of all," Carrillo said, "he was a qualifier out of high school and has three years of playing eligibility remaining. That makes him even more attractive to Division One schools."

Carrillo also has two sophomore frontcourters in 6-7, 205 pound, Orlando Griego and 6-7, 230 pound Jason Hopkins.

Asked to describe Griego's game, Carrillo offered:

"Griego's a throwback player who plays intelligently, a la former Arizona star Luke Walton." (Walton nows plays for the Los Angeles Lakers) "Griego is the type of player who makes his teammates more effective," Carrillo continued, "as he can post up and also play the perimeter.

Hopkins is a scorer down on the block who, according to Carrillo, "will be better as a Division One player."

The style of play Carrillo employs has been described by Smith as "controlled havoc." Carrillo utilizes a large number of players and stresses an uptempo offense, along with a pressing, trapping defense.

"I use some of Dr. Tom Davis' (ex of Iowa and Stanford, now at Drake) techniques with our press," Carrillo said.

He assumed control of the Cochise program in 1995 and it's no coincidence that the Apaches have reached the playoffs every season since his arrival, advancing to the NJCAA national tournament twice (2000 and 2001.) Cochise is currently in first place in league play with a 16-2 record, 23-3 overall, including a road win over the College of Southern Idaho.