Basketball Feature: Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
For Alec Smith, the 2012-13 season will be one of continuing the progress the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs have made in recent years as he and his teammates try to move the Mustangs back to the top of the Southern Hills League.
Every team that plays in high school basketball wants to win a league championship when their regular season comes to an end, and Smith and his teammates are no different.
One season ago, Smith, whose current hairstyle resembles University of Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel (yes, Smith is a UK fan but had the hairstyle before Noel was a Wildcat) was a big part of the LC resurgence as they won 11 times, won five times against Highland County opponents and won a sectional game. This year, Smith wants to keep that trend going.
Smith scored 211 points (9.6 ppg) with a team-high 159 rebounds (63 offensive) for 7.2 rebounds per game last season. He also added 27 blocked shots and eight steals.
The senior began playing basketball when he was very young, using those lessons learned even back then in his game today.
"My dad, he was a good basketball player here at Lynchburg-Clay, and he went on to play college basketball. He got me into playing basketball, and since then, I've just continued playing. He's had such a great effect on me to keep playing basketball.
"I just love the game … just to score points, help my teammates win and to get better every time I play … that's what I love about the game."
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Smith is looking forward to being a senior for the Mustangs as he's grown up in and around the program, played with many upperclassmen before him, and now it is his time to help lead the Mustangs to an even more productive season than last year.
"Being a leader … it is a huge honor," Smith said. "To know I can be a leader of a team, helping the team win … it's special."
Smith isn't a me-first type of player, and that is easy to tell by his demeanor on and off the court. Smith is a team player who wants the best for his team first and foremost.
"I want us to go as far as we can in the tournament," Smith said. "We have a great coach, and if we do what he says, we can win games. I just want to do my part.
"For myself, I just want to get better to help the team win."
In improving his game, Smith learned a lot of lessons last season as a varsity player his junior season. Like many other seniors and even younger players, he's using that experience from the previous season headed into this year.
"I didn't know going from JV to varsity would be that different, and I learned this level has a entire different tempo," Smith said. "Every team has their own tempo, and we just have to play our game. There is a lot more talent at the varsity level."
Smith also plays in AAU basketball, and there he's learned to adjust to the speed of the game by playing some of the best players in the state and the country throughout the summer. This past summer, Smith played for the A-Game Athletes.
"Playing AAU is completely different than regular high school basketball," Smith said. "The talent level is insane. Playing there helps a lot because it improved my abilities to score in the low post.
"When you play AAU, you are playing against some of the best players in the country. They are all 6-8, 6-9, and at my position, I have to guard them. It teaches me how to guard them and helps me get stronger. In AAU, the competition helped me expand my game and become more versatile. I'm just looking forward to my senior season now, and I just want my team to do well this year."
Every team that plays in high school basketball wants to win a league championship when their regular season comes to an end, and Smith and his teammates are no different.
One season ago, Smith, whose current hairstyle resembles University of Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel (yes, Smith is a UK fan but had the hairstyle before Noel was a Wildcat) was a big part of the LC resurgence as they won 11 times, won five times against Highland County opponents and won a sectional game. This year, Smith wants to keep that trend going.
Smith scored 211 points (9.6 ppg) with a team-high 159 rebounds (63 offensive) for 7.2 rebounds per game last season. He also added 27 blocked shots and eight steals.
The senior began playing basketball when he was very young, using those lessons learned even back then in his game today.
"My dad, he was a good basketball player here at Lynchburg-Clay, and he went on to play college basketball. He got me into playing basketball, and since then, I've just continued playing. He's had such a great effect on me to keep playing basketball.
"I just love the game … just to score points, help my teammates win and to get better every time I play … that's what I love about the game."
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Smith is looking forward to being a senior for the Mustangs as he's grown up in and around the program, played with many upperclassmen before him, and now it is his time to help lead the Mustangs to an even more productive season than last year.
"Being a leader … it is a huge honor," Smith said. "To know I can be a leader of a team, helping the team win … it's special."
Smith isn't a me-first type of player, and that is easy to tell by his demeanor on and off the court. Smith is a team player who wants the best for his team first and foremost.
"I want us to go as far as we can in the tournament," Smith said. "We have a great coach, and if we do what he says, we can win games. I just want to do my part.
"For myself, I just want to get better to help the team win."
In improving his game, Smith learned a lot of lessons last season as a varsity player his junior season. Like many other seniors and even younger players, he's using that experience from the previous season headed into this year.
"I didn't know going from JV to varsity would be that different, and I learned this level has a entire different tempo," Smith said. "Every team has their own tempo, and we just have to play our game. There is a lot more talent at the varsity level."
Smith also plays in AAU basketball, and there he's learned to adjust to the speed of the game by playing some of the best players in the state and the country throughout the summer. This past summer, Smith played for the A-Game Athletes.
"Playing AAU is completely different than regular high school basketball," Smith said. "The talent level is insane. Playing there helps a lot because it improved my abilities to score in the low post.
"When you play AAU, you are playing against some of the best players in the country. They are all 6-8, 6-9, and at my position, I have to guard them. It teaches me how to guard them and helps me get stronger. In AAU, the competition helped me expand my game and become more versatile. I'm just looking forward to my senior season now, and I just want my team to do well this year."