The Statesmen Highlight Reel : Jalen Smith
Richard Bland College men’s basketball is experiencing a resurgence this season under new head coach, Guillermo Cabrera, and one of the main driving forces behind this team is 6’5” Sophomore guard, Jalen Smith.
Smith’s impact can be felt in every aspect of the game. Whether he is stealing the ball on defense or pushing the tempo on offense, Smith is a force to be reckoned with for the Statesmen. He is averaging 11.1 points per game, while pulling down an average of 9.7 rebounds a game. He has logged double figure points in 12 of 18 contests, with an average of 39.2 minutes per game. On the season he is shooting almost 47% from the field, 15% from the perimeter, and 65% from the charity stripe. Smith has also tallied five triple-doubles on the season. His most standout game was a 22-point career-high against Camp Community College.
Smith is most effective in the field as he has the ability to shoot short or long range over his defenders for the “swish” finish. Not only is Smith solid in the field, but defenses better be on the lookout when the Statesmen get the ball in transition, when Smith runs the court, as he isn’t afraid of contact in his finishes.
He has helped the Statesmen to a 6-12 overall record, 4-4 conference record through the first half of the season and is gearing up and ready to defend home turf in the second half of the NJCAA Division I Region 10 Conference season. The Statesmen are set to take on USC Salkehatchie in Statesman Hall, their home arena, on Friday, February 14th. Watch out for Jalen Smith as he leads his Richard Bland Statesmen full steam ahead into the rest of the season, as the team will match up against conference rivals for the remainder of the season.