Van-Far senior Mike Smith, currently the 26th-best scorer in Missouri prep basketball history, committed verbally Thursday afternoon to playing college basketball next year at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

Brian Meny, his coach at Van-Far, said Smith called East Tennessee State coach Murry Bartow about 4:30 p.m. from Van-Far

Welcome to the board! I noticed you are from Missouri. Have you been able to see Mike play? He sounds like a great player.

http://www.vandalialeader.com/articles/2...orts06.txt

Try this link it has a nice article on this kid. Reads like you all got a good one.

Man I hope this kid is about 6'5, and can go inside as well. If that read correctly, we're looking at the next Rhoda.

I have seen him listed as 6'6 and 205. So a bit bigger then Rhoda with a better outside shot. Hopefully he can be another Jerry Pelphery, good on the outside but not afraid to go inside and mix it up.

RZ

Smith moved up to 21st place on Missouri's all-time prep scoring list with 2,455 points on last night's game.

From an earlier article from the Peoples Tribune, Bowling Green, Mo
[quote]
A member of the 2004 Van-Far state championship team, Smith has helped the Indians win three consecutive District titles, three sectional wins and has played in the quarter-finals three times.
The 6-foot 6-inch senior is currently the 27th best scorer in Missouri prep basketball history with 2,404 points. Among his other accomplishments are: 554 assists which puts him in 11th place in the MSHAA record book; 406 steals for 2nd place in the record book and 1,393 rebounds which is 6th. He was named the Class 2 Player of the Year his sophomore year following the state title.
With his start Tuesday night (tonight) at Mexico he will be third in the record book with 112 consecutive starts in his four years of high school at Van-Far.

This young man looks like a great find but I question why his recruitment has consisted of ETSU and some non DIV I school. I'm not knocking him but I've seen kids like this come in and find DI ball something they can't handle. Hope not this time.

He plays AAU ball in the summer with the St. Louis Eagles, where is started every game, so he

Doesn't really matter how much talent Bartow brings in, he has no clue what to do with them when they get here. Roll the ball out there and hope they have enough raw talent to win on thier own. The good thing is, right now since we are in the A-Sun and the talent level is so low ETSU has been able to win that way.

R

Evidently his commitment to ETSU was big news in Vandalia newspaper:

http://www.vandalialeader.com/articles/2...orts01.txt

BucPerson Wrote:This young man looks like a great find but I question why his recruitment has consisted of ETSU and some non DIV I school. I'm not knocking him but I've seen kids like this come in and find DI ball something they can't handle. Hope not this time.

Thats been ETSU MO in the past. finding good players at small schools that other schools overlooked. However, this lastest article said he did have some interest from Missouri.


R

Is it me or does he seem to resemble JJ Reddick???