Recruiting Report: Blake Smith (2016)
November 10, 2015 By TJ Rushing When he first spoke with Clay County shooting guard Blake Smith in January we dubbed him to be a “hidden gem.” And though his recruitment did pick up a bit over the summer, the…
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Continue ReadingNovember 10, 2015
By TJ Rushing
When he first spoke with Clay County shooting guard Blake Smith in January we dubbed him to be a “hidden gem.”
And though his recruitment did pick up a bit over the summer, the 6-foot-2 senior is still very much available.
“I haven’t got any offers yet but I’ve gotten a few letters. Air Force sent me some letters, Brown, Alabama-Huntsville , Charleston, Trevecca (TN), Springfield College (MA), Albion (MI),” said Smith.
“The school that’s recruiting me the heaviest is Trevecca, they had me on an unofficial visit not too long ago.”
The talented senior says he still feels somewhat neglected by college coaches, but says he tries not to focus on that too much.
“I think I’m flying under the radar, and it is sort of disheartening. But I don’t really look at it like that,” said Smith. “I just go out there and have fun, and do what I can for the team. All I’m focused on right now is the season ahead of me, I’m not looking any further than that.”
While playing with TBC Elite this summer, Smith was not only able to generate some interest, but he improved at getting to the hoop, and his shot as well.
“I think I got to the rim pretty easy, I was a pretty good slasher. But I really focused this summer on my 3-pointer and my general jump-shot, I shot a lot of jump shots,” said Smith, who mentioned his expectations for the upcoming senior season.
“I’ve got to step up and be a leader because it’s my senior year. Myself and my coach are expecting me to do a lot for this team, so I’ll have to step up and do that.”
January 20, 2015
By Sean Ryan
The Clay County Tigers are a dominant power in the 13th region, off to a 17-3 start overall and 9-0 in region play. A team loaded with talent, a team with multiple players who will play at the next level at some point in their lives. One of those players is Blake Smith, a junior guard ranked as the #49 player in the state for the class of 2016, is no doubt a hidden gem.
The 6’2” junior hasn’t had any contact with collegiate programs as of yet, but if there’s one thing to be sure of, some school, somewhere, is going to get a playmaker. On the season Smith is averaging a cool 21 points a game, to go with just under 6 boards a game. He’s also shooting just under 57% from the field on the year. When asked about what kind of expectations he has for the rest of the season, he got right to the point.
“Huge expectations. A state championship is the ultimate goal!” he said.
On the hardwood some of Smith’s strengths are his ability to slash and attack the basket and the ability to get to the rim and finish strong. He also has an excellent mid-range game for a high school player. With some more time his three point shooting will improve and he could be one of the premiere players in Kentucky come his senior season. He’ll also continue to excel as a player by adding some extra strength when the offseason rolls around.
When the 2014-2015 season comes to a close and the summer months get here, Blake said he isn’t sure whether he’ll be playing AAU ball or not, but did say he hopes to visit some colleges this summer. So, to the college coaches out there looking for a 2016 guard, get over to Clay County, there’s a hidden gem in Blake Smith!