Tony Smith sizes up recruiting

Like a lot of high school graduates, he wasn't quite ready for the big jump.

Originally from North Carolina, small forward Tony Smith settled at Seward County C.C. in Kansas. It gave him a chance to develop both on the floor and off.

Smith left the team on a mutual decision last month, but with his average of 14.3 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 26 games, he's still become a hot commodity. WKU and Gonzaga have each offered, though Smith didn't want to divulge anymore. Kansas State, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are just a few that have shown interest.

"Basically, it's more of a relationship than anything," Smith said. "You have your few places where you can go and visit. I really don't wanna leak it out because of situations already going on."

Assistant coach Ray Harper has been recruiting Smith for some time now and Smith likes what he's heard. Smith is also friends with junior forward Cliff Dixon, from Dixon's time at Hutchinson Community College (Kan.)

"That's a place I was considering and still am," Smith said. "Obviously, they're gonna lose A.J. Slaughter, which is a lot of minutes they're losing at the position I wanna come in and play at. It's not too far away from home, from North Carolina, so it'd be a good fit. Then I looked at some of the pictures and they have a pretty sold out arena. It's not a bad thing to go out that way. I'm definitely in the mix with them."

Smith hasn't made any official or unofficial visits to WKU but said he holds the Toppers in high regard.

"I've been pretty much wide open from the beginning and still am," Smith said. "I still don't know how this thing's gonna play out. Western Kentucky is definitely gonna be a spot, where push comes to shove, they're up there. I already know a player out there and he pretty much tells me the ins and outs of it, how they play. It fits my style of game well, where I can come in and help the team."

Smith has the build to play either small forward or shooting guard. But he also has the ball skills to play some point guard if the situation dictates.

"I try to beat 'em with my head first, as far as knowing offensively, when you penetrate, knowing where the help's gonna come from, knowing where's your first out," Smith said. "If you're driving to the left elbow, you have to control what's in front of you and to the side of you. You try to control the parts where people are cheating, trying to help in. That's when you make a pass, make a play. You just have to understand where the help's coming from, knowing the offense and that's usually where I win at."

Though he impressed when he was on the floor, in the end it didn't quite fully work out for Smith at the junior college ranks. But Smith is ready for the Division I level and still doesn't regret his decision to go to junior college.

"The thing is, some guys shoot themselves in the foot and come out here and don't really have nothing," he said. "You just grind and grind. When you're grinding, you're doing off the court too and in the classroom. All that stuff builds you up and prepares you for the Division I level where things are gonna come easier and more natural. There's gonna be more resources. It built me pretty well to a point where I think I can get to the next level and try to help the team as soon as possible."