Indiana Mr. Basketball Candidate- Braden Smith
In 49 states it is just basketball, but this is Indiana. There is no better time of year than high school basketball season in the Hoosier state. Here at Prep Hoops Indiana, our staff will set out to bring the…
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Continue ReadingIn 49 states it is just basketball, but this is Indiana. There is no better time of year than high school basketball season in the Hoosier state. Here at Prep Hoops Indiana, our staff will set out to bring the very best coverage from throughout the state. Evansville, Gary, South Bend, Terre Haute, we will leave no corner of Indiana unturned.
Now that official practices are quickly approaching and we are just weeks away from tipping off the first game, it is time to dive head first into previewing the upcoming season. Over the coming weeks you can expect breakdowns of each class along with teams and players to watch, a look at the top Mr. Basketball and Indiana All-Star candidates, preseason team rankings, and much, much more. For even more coverage, make sure to follow our staff on Twitter: @BRamseyKSR, @kylerstaley, @HSIndianaBball, and @KrisMills37.
Today, we begin introducing the top Mr. Basketball candidates in the Class of 2022. In total, we will outline who we believe to be the five primary candidates to win the coveted award. There is no rhyme or reason to the order in which the candidates are released, so don’t read too much into that. Let’s dive in and break down our first potential Mr. Basketball award winner, Braden Smith Braden Smith 6'0" | PG Westfield | 2022 State IN from Westfield High School.
Braden Smith Braden Smith 6'0" | PG Westfield | 2022 State IN committed to the Purdue Boilermakers on April 29th. The 6’0″ point guard is coming off of a junior season where he averaged 22 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game. 1244 career points and 327 career assists puts him in some pretty rarified air statistically with a full season yet to play. Smith will stuff the stat sheet once again as a senior for the Shamrocks and will certainly have the numbers to compete for the states most prestigious award.
Westfield had only experienced two winning seasons in the last 12 before Smith entered high school. The Shamrock’s last winning season was in 2012 before, as a freshman, the electric point guard scored 12.9 points per game to lift Westfield to a 12-11 mark. Two morning winning seasons have followed including an 18-5 record last season and a trip to the sectional final. However, there is one beast still looming in the legacy of Braden Smith Braden Smith 6'0" | PG Westfield | 2022 State IN . The Carmel Greyhounds.
Each of the last two seasons Smith and the Shamrocks have won seven straight games at the end of the season only to bow out of the sectional against Carmel. Beating the Greyhounds will be no easy task this season, but you better believe that Westfield’s senior point guard will do everything in his power to cap off his incredible career with a sectional championship.
Path to Mr. Basketball: For Braden Smith Braden Smith 6'0" | PG Westfield | 2022 State IN to win Indiana Mr. Basketball, quite simply, he is probably going to need to win the sectional. His stats will be as good as anybody in the state. He has the name recognition and career achievements to be a more than worthy candidate. However, post season success is typically a prerequisite for the award. The future Boilermaker should find himself in the top five of voting barring injury and will be in the conversation throughout the season.