[Sly Fox]

Scout has this kid listed as having interest in us in the Class of 2009 but my research indicates he is an '08 prospect. He attended RMc's UNM Elite Camp last summer:


Austin Smith
Power Forward
6' 9" 210 lbs

High School: Tuscon (AZ) Ironwood Ridge HS
AAU Club: Tuscon Sporting Chance



Junior Season Stats at Mountain View HS (He recently transferred):
Averaged 11.6 Points & 6.8 Rebounds

Scout Profile

As of May 2007, here are his schools of interest:

Liberty
Nevada
Northern Arizona
Washington State

From the Arizona Daily Star on 4/13/07:

On Wednesday, Division I-level recruit Austin Smith attended his first class at Ironwood Ridge after transferring from Mountain View, where he averaged nearly 12 points and 7 rebounds per game last season as a junior.

Smith's family recently purchased a home just down the street from Ironwood Ridge.

Smith is a 6-foot-8-inch wing player whose play last summer caught the interest of the UA coaching staff. He — like so many high schoolers trying to find their niche — struggled with consistency at Mountain View, but his versatility and athleticism put him in a league few in town can match.

"I haven't seen him a whole lot, but he's a kid with great size who is extremely athletic and has a lot of skills," Nighthawks coach Karl Pieroway said. "From where I'm sitting, he seems to be the total package."

Click Here for Full Story

He apparently is on his hometown Arizona Wildcats' radar.

[Cider Jim]

Smith is a 6-foot-8-inch wing player

Sounds like a younger version of Tyler Baker.

[Fumblerooskies]

ASGBG!

[jcmanson]

With the schools interested in him, he would be a very nice pickup for us. You can never have too many 6-8+ guys out there.

[TylerBakersGonnaBGreat]

Smith is a 6-foot-8-inch wing player

Sounds like a younger version of Tyler Baker.

He has no Chance at being half as great as Tyler Baker...

[PAmedic]

I'm imagining A. Smith playing along side A. Smith

[Fumblerooskies]

I'm imagining A. Smith playing along side A. Smith

That would give the scorekeeper a Jones.

[Cider Jim]

I'm imagining A. Smith playing along side A. Smith

I bet Jerry Edwards (on radio) and Scar (on TV) would have fun with that one!

[HenryGale]

I'm imagining A. Smith playing along side A. Smith

I bet Jerry Edwards (on radio) and Scar (on TV) would have fun with that one!

It just makes it easier...you have a 40% chance of getting the person correct with the ball, and you do not even have to be looking!

[Cider Jim]

Reminds me of the boxer George Foreman who named all of his kids (sons & daughters) GEORGE.

[TIMSCAR20]

If you can call a game with the Frazees with all their numbers being 1 digit apart or do games with participants named:

Kristina Paliameite
Rima Margeveciute
Diana Staugietiene
Roli Ann Nigabatse

[SuperJon]

You forgot KP.

[givemethemic]

Boy, those were the days a few years ago with that lineup...Don't ask me how to spell them but not to hard to say

[SuperJon]

You don't know how to spell common words, much less foreign names.

[Cider Jim]

Kristina Paliameite
Rima Margeveciute
Diana Staugietiene
Roli Ann Nigabatse

Scar, is that spelling from memory, or did you have to dust off an old lady Flames media guide?

[TIMSCAR20]

I think I misspelled Kristina and yes I did forget KP in that bunch. It was from memory actually. I don't have a women's guide here in Richmond. I have been known to have a good memory though Jim.

[Cider Jim]

I have been known to have a good memory though Jim.

Well, Scar, you did remember that you and I were on the same church-league basketball team years ago, even though I was a scrub coming off the bench to sub for Kim Graham at PF--which I had long since forgotten myself.

[TIMSCAR20]

Naz, me and Meyer were talking about that on Friday at Greg McCauley's daughter's wedding. Greg remembered the championship game pretty well. Naz and I were sharing with Meyer how Greg went off on us even though he had 4 scrubs and him and they beat us for the championship. I will never forget that shooting performance. So we bring it up to McCauley and he tells his side of the story. He goes for 45 and his father in law (Laurie's dad) was there and said, son you played ok today. Greg says yes but I have even bigger news. Laurie is pregnant with our 5th child! So he will always remember that night too but for different reasons...I actually had forgotten that Graham played on that team. I did however remember that Rick Reeves was there that night and they had a big south quarterfinal game that day down at Radford. We were so sure they were going to lose that we put Rick in the books as a starter and he did show up on time. Who knew that just a year later they would begin a 10 year run as conference champs? Not us thats for sure. Elena and the twins show up as freshman and the rest is history.

[Cider Jim]

Scar, I used to love telling the story about how having Rick Reeves on our team (with knee brace) as our point guard was like having a coach on the floor.

[Sly Fox]

I might be wise for us to refamiliarize ourselves with yet another big.

[Cider Jim]

Four months between posts, Sly brings up this player again: Sly must have some insider knowledge to get our hopes up a little about another big man.

[PAmedic]

again- I'm no hoops expert- but at what point do we have too many guys 6'8" - 6'10" that aren't 5's or at least bangers?

would love to find out I'm way off base here- just seems like we're stockpiling wings and big shooting-forwards.

[Sly Fox]

Rivals is confirming his verbal commitment (thanks, dox).

[paradox]

McMasters headed to Liberty

Justin Young
Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting

Carter McMasters, a three-star forward from Chattanooga, Tenn., is headed to Liberty.

According to The Chattanoogan, the 6-foot-10 big man from Grace Academy, give a verbal pledge to the Big South school.

McMasters told the paper he chose the school because of "the Christian atmosphere for spiritual growth."

McMasters gives the team a big forward with a good shot from deep. He averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks a game as a junior.

Liberty scored a verbal commitment from Arizona big man Austin Smith yesterday as well.

Click Here for Full Story

[jcmanson]

again- I'm no hoops expert- but at what point do we have too many guys 6'8" - 6'10" that aren't 5's or at least bangers?

would love to find out I'm way off base here- just seems like we're stockpiling wings and big shooting-forwards.

Trust me, you can never have too many. They're like offensive lineman in football.