(Billy Smith in April 2021)

 

Brebeuf and Indiana Elite guard Billy Smith (2022) committed to Miami of Ohio today. The Indianapolis senior considered Army and Bellarmine before picking the MAC school.

 

Smith’s recruitment jumped in June as he played in front of college coaches for the first time in 15 months. As a lanky shooter, Smith caught the attention of Midwest college coaches in a hurry. He received offers from Army, Bellarmine, Eastern Illinois, IUPUI, and Fordham in June. Lipscomb jumped in the mix last month.

 

Smith joins a long list of Indiana natives playing for Jack Owens at Miami. The Indianapolis Washington alum currently has Mekhi Lairy (Evansville Bosse), Isaiah Coleman-Lands (La Lumiere), Myja White (Brebeuf), and Shamar Avance (Lawrence North) on the RedHawks roster.

 

“I really liked the coaching staff and their transparency,” Smith told Indiana Basketball Source. “I also think it is a high-level league, and I like how Coach Owens’ way of going about things. It just seemed like a good fit and challenge.”

 

In 11 adidas 3SSB games, Smith averaged 10.8 points and 2.8 rebounds for Indiana Elite. To begin the July evaluation period, Smith displayed his versatility for a shorthanded squad by defending post players. Smith exclusively played on the perimeter throughout high school, but the Brebeuf product stepped up to fill the role.

 

As a six-foot-five wing, Smith’s size will translate well to the MAC. According to Synergy Sports, he only shot 32.3 percent on 5.9 three-point attempts per game in 3SSB play. That was a relatively small sample size, and he shot 43 percent on 176 attempts as a junior with Brebeuf. His outside shooting will be a cornerstone of his collegiate production.

 

Behind Smith, Brebeuf will be a top 3A team this high school season.