Meet Stephon Smith (again)

Stephon Smith is featured in the above three photos

Darryl Harris is the BOCCA head coach

Stephon Smith reached out to SpartanHoops recently and at 6-foot-8 and 253 pounds, when he speaks, we certainly listen.

For memory refreshment, Stephon signed a letter-of-intent with San Jose State University back in November.

We learned that he is attending a new school, Body of Christ Christian Academy (BOCCA) in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In a handful of games so far, Smith is averaging a double-double in scoring and rebounding against "good competition" -- his description. He added, "I've definitely improved my ballhandling and shooting and there is a trainer here, Lorenzo Odom, who I am working out with." Smith also trains with BOCCA Lead Assistant Coach Warrick Scott.

He is also doing body work and is up to the aforementioned 253 pounds so to answer the late Clara Peller: the beef is coming.

As for the future, Smith will be arriving in San Jose "as early as the coaches can get me there."

He certainly has plans.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to come in and help the program," Smith said. "I'm hoping to get on campus, learn my way around, introduce myself and interact with the fans."

There is also an coincidental item that makes it appear it was Smith's destiny to be at SJSU. Recruited by SJSU Assistant Coach Talvin Hester, Smith explained, "I was born on October 24 and Coach Hester's new daughter has the exact same birthdate."

Darryl Harris is the head coach at BOCCA and he is effusive in his praise of Smith.

"Stephon is just a beast in the paint and he's just scratching the surface. He's also good on the perimeter and can knock down the three if need be. Steph plays with poise, is a good athlete with a great ceiling and is very coachable. He is college ready with that body."

Harris also likes what he sees off the court from Smith. "He's done a really good job in the classroom and is a leader. Steph is a blessing to us."

Being in Raleigh, Smith is in college basketball heaven, surrounded by North Carolina State, Duke, North Carolina, with Wake Forest the most distant. at 100 miles away. May he bring some of that aura with him when he heads west.

More on Stephon Smith

Sometimes the right person appears in your life at the right time. Call it a blessing, serendipity, good fortune, kismet or what you will, new San Jose State University (SJSU) basketball recruit Stephon Smith has already experienced such a connection.

If you recall from an earlier article, Smith said this: "Coach {Pat] Washington made me into who I am...I had a hard time opening up after going through Katrina and Coach Washington helped me." Washington teaches at Woodrow Wilson High in Dallas and also coaches the boys basketball team.

Smith arrived at Wilson High as a sophomore. This after Hurricane Katrina forced him from New Orleans and after spending a year staying with friends in Mississippi.

Now one of the fascinating aspects of young people -- despite the usual multitude (music - no pun intended, clothing, hair and so on) -- of so-called bad raps, is that sometimes there is also a raw, unfiltered directness in their speaking and interaction.

That's Smith on and about his former coach.

But it's a mutual admiration society that runs both ways.

Washington, who earlier coached 6-foot-10 Anthony Randolph (the former LSU star who played for the Golden State Warriors and is now with the New York Knicks) plus 6-foot-11 Perry Jones (a top player in the country last season who is now a freshman at Baylor), has long been in the praise chorus surrounding Smith.

"Steph is a super kid, strong-willed and strong-minded. I love him," said Washington.

He added, "Steph has always known what he wanted. With his ability and body type, in my heart of hearts, I believe he will be really, really good and be successful on and off the floor. He works his butt off."

But as an outsider to the school and a newbie to the team, Smith didn't instantaneously blend well with his teammates.

"I'm a firm believer teammates have got to be friends -- at least on the court -- and working in the same direction," Washington explained.

It took a while but the relationship between Smith and his mates became the close and Wilson finished the last two seasons with 24-7 and 17-8 overall records respectively.

After the 2009-2010 season, it was decision time for Smith.

"A lot of JCs wanted Steph but I thought it would be good for him mentally, socially and in [basketball] skill development to attend a prep school first, "explained Washington.

According to Washington, "A friend of mine knew Coach [Ian] Turnbull and his program in New Jersey."

So eventually it was off to the Garden State for Smith in a current post-grad year at the CJEOTO Academy.

As for the connection of Smith and SJSU, Washington offered, "I couldn't be more happy I've known [SJSU Assistant] Coach [Talvin] Hester since our AAU days."

Earlier, Smith, his mother and Washington sat down and created a life action plan for the young man.

It didn't contain 'college: San Jose State University' in it at the time but Spartan fans are glad it now does.

Meet Stephon Smith (the latest Spartan)

(photo courtesy of Rivals)

When envisioning San Jose State commit Stephon Smith, think of the play exhibited by Charles Oakley or Buck Williams. Each possessed a blue collar reputation as a hard worker, tenacious rebounder and physical defender.

Granted, comparisons are always dicey (especially so when lining up a post high school talent with NBA All Pro selections) but these matches vividly demonstrate how the 6-foot-8, 235 Smith approaches the game and his style of play.

We talked with a number of Smith's past and present basketball coaches and certain descriptions kept getting repeated.

Coach Ian Turnbull, who currently mentors Smith at the Central Jersey Each One Teach One Academy (CJEOTO) in the Garden State offered this: "Stephon is very athletic, has an incredible build, is very quick and displays a great motor."

One of the advantages Smith has in attending CJEOTO is the academy offers these academic enhancements:

* Only student/athletes that have completed high school and have received their high school diploma will be accepted to The Academy.
* Our NCAA Clearinghouse approved student/athletes attend Ocean Community College classes where they may take up six credit hours per semester.
* Our student/athletes who have not attained the required SAT score for them to be approved by the NCAA Clearinghouse attend MAC Testing in Tinton Falls for SAT Prep classes.

According to Turnbull, Smith need to add two points to his test score to qualify.

CJEOTO plays 35-40 games during the season against top regional competition.

Turnbull, who requires the hard work that facilitates improvement, and Smith are collaborating to advance the young man's offensive and defensive skills set. "I really liked him when we were first talking about me going there and I like him even more now," Smith said.

A basketballer in high school, college and as a semi-pro, Turnbull is a former assistant head coach at the Edison Academy (also in New Jersey) and has operated the CJEOTO AAU program for the past nine years before also starting up the CJEOTO Academy. In its initial season, CJEOTO Academy was ranked #2 in the state behind St. Benedict's and Turnbull was honored as the New Jersey Prep School Coach of the Year. All 11 of his players from last season are now on college scholarships.

Lawrence Johns, the founder and coach of the Dallas Seawolves club basketball team, said of Smith: "He is a good kid, a hard worker and a pure muscle, brute force inside who will help San Jose State win a lot of games."

Glenn Smith, a longtime Texas basketball figure and proprietor of the Metroplex hoops site provided this, "Stephon is a real good kid, a bruiser with a good touch around the basket and also a nice 14-15 foot jump shot."

Granted, Smith is not (yet) a big points producer but his intensity, energy and toughness within the paint currently bring the majority of his scoring numbers and it's been a while since the Spartans have enjoyed someone on the roster who will not only bang with opponents but also be the first to initiate contact.

A Hurricane Katrina transplant and a New Orleans native (his mother currently lives there), Smith landed in Dallas at esteemed Woodrow Wilson High after a year of living with friends in Mississippi.

That's where another match made in heaven occurred.

"Coach {Pat] Washington made me into who I am," Smith said. Washington coaches the boys basketball team at Wilson. "I had a hard time opening up after going through Katrina," explained Smith, " and Coach Washington helped me."

He played football in middle school but only hoops come his freshman year. "I was too tall and guys were blocking me at my knees. I didn't want to get to the point where I couldn't play the sport I love" so he left the gridiron since football season always precedes that of basketball.

Asked about his best moments or moments on the court, Smith remembered two instances. "As a freshman, he recalled, "we went to state and won and I had 18 points in the championship game. This past year, we were playing South Oak Cliff and the game went into overtime because I chased down an opponent on a breakaway and blocked his shot. I think I had eight blocks in that game."

That brings to light one of Smith's many talents: running the court. "That's something I've been gifted to be able to do" he explained.

So why did Smith go with San Jose State? "I felt that they are going to take care of me as a basketball player and a student," he said.

Interestingly, there are both musical and athletic branches in Smith's family tree. "My grandmother married into the Neville Brothers family [the First Family of Crescent City music]," Smith explained, and Eric Bieniemy, Colorado's all-time leading rusher, an NFL running back and currently a coach with the Minnesota Vikings, also is kin.

Smith specifically wanted to thank Coach Washington, Luther Riley (his freshman coach in Mississippi) plus Larry Stamps and Thandi Wade of the Jackson Tigers club basketball team for all the help and guidance they provided.