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    Tarin Smith signs his LOI

      Tarin Smith

      Expect the 6'2" freshman to immediately play minutes in a PG rotation with Benny Parker, allowing Tai Webster to shift back to his natural position of SG. Smith has been facing plenty of Div I competition during his playing time at HOF coach Bob Hurley's St. Anthony's program in addition to the Jersey based Sports U AAU squad.

      Smith was a 4.0 high school student and expects to immediately enroll in summer classes at Nebraska this June.

      The Huskers have 3 more scholarships available.

    Image quote courtesy of giveandgobasketball.com

    UNL's Release

    Lincoln – University of Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Tim Miles announced Wednesday that point guard Tarin Smith (Ocean Township, N.J.) signed a National Letter-of-Intent with the Nebraska basketball program.

    Smith is a 6-foot-2, 175-pounder who played for Hall of Fame Coach Bob Hurley at St. Anthony, helping the Friars to consecutive state runner-up finishes. In two seasons as a starter, Smith guided the Friars to a 53-7 record and a pair of sectional titles.

    "Tarin is a great addition to our program,” Nebraska Coach Tim Miles said. “He is the complete package at the point guard. He has excellent feel for the game. He is a leader. He has a terrific skill set, and is long and athletic on the defensive end. I love his personality, and he is really an endearing, bright young man. The Huskers landed a treasure in Tarin Smith!"

    As a senior, he was a third-team all-state selection by the Newark Star-Ledger, averaging 15 points, four rebounds and four assists per game, as St. Anthony went 25-5 on the season. Smith reached double figures in all but two games as a senior, including a pair of 23-point outings. One of his best performances was a 12-point, eight-assist, six-rebound effort in a win over eventual state champion Roselle Catholic.

    Smith averaged more than seven points per game as a junior, sharing time at guard with a pair of current Division I performers Hallice Cooke (Oregon State) and Josh Brown (Temple), as St. Anthony went 28-2 and finished second in the state in its class. Smith was the only sophomore on the varsity team in 2011-12, when the Friars went 32-0 and won the Tournament of Champions title as the best team in the state.

    Smith, who selected Nebraska over Ole Miss, Providence and Duquesne, is also a standout in the classroom with a 4.0 GPA. He is in the running for valedictorian of his high school class. Smith also played with the Sports U AAU team and was one of five players to sign with power-conference teams this season.

    Smith is another in a long line of guards for Coach Hurley at St. Anthony, as Hurley has won over 1,100 games and 25 state titles since taking over the program in 1972. During his tenure, he has coached over 150 players who have signed with Division I programs.

    Smith joins a Nebraska program that went 19-13 under Miles and reached the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. The Huskers return all five starters, including All-Big Ten performers Terran Petteway and Shavon Shields, and a roster that returns 82 percent of its scoring and 86 percent of its rebounding from a year ago.

    Smith is the second member of Nebraska’s recruiting class, joining 6-foot-10 center Jacob Hammond (Comanche, Okla.), who signed with Nebraska in the fall. Hammond averaged 26.2 points, 14.8 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game this season while earning second-team all-state honors (all-classes) from the Daily Oklahoman. A finalist for Mr. Basketball in the state of Oklahoma, Hammond was also named District 5 Player of the Year by the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association in 2014.




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    In Smith's signing photo is the scary looking guy standing in back Coach Hurley or one of Tony Soprano's cronies? Just wondering?

     

    Thats not Hurley Sr, not sure who it is.

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    In Smith's signing photo is the scary looking guy standing in back Coach Hurley or one of Tony Soprano's cronies? Just wondering?

     

    Thats not Hurley Sr, not sure who it is.

     

    Vincent "Vinny Bones" Gambino.

     

    He's just there making sure there's not a problem.  

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    I still don't know why they would mess with Tai's shooting mechanics - the kid shot 62% from 3s during the Olympic trials.  Leave his shot alone.

     

    I really believe 90% of shooting is mental/confidence.  Heck, I've seen plenty of female players with "questionable" form that shoot lights out.  Having a consistent and comfortable release is the most important thing.

     

    Tai's shooting performance in the Olympic trials was a statistical anomaly that was not duplicated either at Westlake Boy's School or the Waikato Pistons. I wouldn't use that small statistical data set to support the premise that Tai's shooting was just fine. Obviously, the Nebraska staff disagreed.

     

     

    what was his stats at his high school? all i've ever seen him do in HS was dunk

     

     

    I can't give you a percentage, but he wasn't knocking down 3s at a 62% clip and his shooting numbers with the Pistons were poor.

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    According to this site, he shot about 45% from the field with Waikato.  Not bad for a 17-year old in a pro league.  Certainly better than the 30% he shot this year.

     

    I just think with Tai getting adjusting to new surroundings here, it wasn't wise to tinker with his shooting form during the season.  Do that in the offseason if you want to.  But I really think it messed with his confidence/mind this year.  You could tell late in the season that he didn't believe he could make a shot.

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    Interesting sentence in Lee B's write-up about Smith...

     

    Smith said the Nebraska staff promised him a chance to compete for regular playing time next season.[/size]

     

    http://bigredtoday.com/article/20140317/HUSKERS/140318681/1002#husker-hoops-lands-new-jersey-point-guard-tarin-smith

     

    Does that mean other schools were telling him he wouldn't have a chance to compete for playing time?

    I assumed it was more to the fact that a lot of us, myself included, think he will redshirt this year. However, that quote makes it seem like he will have the chance to play right away. 

     

    But shouldn't every player get the chance to play?

     

    Our coaching staff is straight up with guys.

    They told Pitch he needed to redshirt to come here.

    Smith seems like a kid with a head on his shoulders....he definitely should play if he's physically ready to contribute in the B1G

    It's true.  He does.  I've seen the pictures.
    So its not this guy....

    post-92-0-81249700-1397907260_thumb.jpg

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    At this point, saying Tai hasn't adjusted to USA basketball is just an excuse.

    At this point the season is over. There is no need to make excuses until next year and hopefully there won't be any need to by next year.

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    At this point, saying Tai hasn't adjusted to USA basketball is just an excuse.

    Tai struggled but it's evident that he has some talent. While he lacked confidence and struggled he's also a freshman who started on a decent team with 3 offensive weapons ahead of him on the team. It's been stated before, but we didn't need Tai to force the issue. It would've been nice if he could hit an open shot, but that's been hit on multiple times.

    He certainly didn't approach the high expectations that he came with, but it's not like he's a total bust without any hope either. Again, he's a freshman. Maybe that's the excuse that should be used instead of the 'hasn't adjusted to US basketball yet' because there were plenty of freshman on worse teams that didn't start who have been playing US basketball their entire lives. He's a freshman.

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    At this point, saying Tai hasn't adjusted to USA basketball is just an excuse.

    Tai struggled but it's evident that he has some talent. While he lacked confidence and struggled he's also a freshman who started on a decent team with 3 offensive weapons ahead of him on the team. It's been stated before, but we didn't need Tai to force the issue. It would've been nice if he could hit an open shot, but that's been hit on multiple times.

    He certainly didn't approach the high expectations that he came with, but it's not like he's a total bust without any hope either. Again, he's a freshman. Maybe that's the excuse that should be used instead of the 'hasn't adjusted to US basketball yet' because there were plenty of freshman on worse teams that didn't start who have been playing US basketball their entire lives. He's a freshman.

    And a young Freshman at that.

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    Time wuz: Success was expected with time and work

    Time iz: Success is expected immediately with natural talent

     

    So true, Jimmy.  In college athletics as well as other facets of life.  Instant gratification society now.

     

    (P.S. Stay off my lawn ;) )

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    According to this site, he shot about 45% from the field with Waikato.  Not bad for a 17-year old in a pro league.  Certainly better than the 30% he shot this year.

     

    I just think with Tai getting adjusting to new surroundings here, it wasn't wise to tinker with his shooting form during the season.  Do that in the offseason if you want to.  But I really think it messed with his confidence/mind this year.  You could tell late in the season that he didn't believe he could make a shot.

     

    Miles has established very clearly over his first two years that he's willing to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains. Altering Webster's shooting mechanics during his freshman season seems to be consistent with this strategy, as was his request to Brandon Ubel and Deverell Biggs to redshirt in 2012, his signing of two transfers who had to sit out a year, etc. There are many examples out there. 

     

    What the staff has said at booster functions is that they made this decision as a staff and felt it would be in Tai's best long-term interests.  

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    Deverell Biggs to redshirt in 2012,  

     

     

    While agree with your overall point, it was Deverell who chose to redshirt.  Miles wanted him to play immediately.

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    According to this site, he shot about 45% from the field with Waikato.  Not bad for a 17-year old in a pro league.  Certainly better than the 30% he shot this year.

     

    I just think with Tai getting adjusting to new surroundings here, it wasn't wise to tinker with his shooting form during the season.  Do that in the offseason if you want to.  But I really think it messed with his confidence/mind this year.  You could tell late in the season that he didn't believe he could make a shot.

     

    Miles has established very clearly over his first two years that he's willing to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains. Altering Webster's shooting mechanics during his freshman season seems to be consistent with this strategy, as was his request to Brandon Ubel and Deverell Biggs to redshirt in 2012, his signing of two transfers who had to sit out a year, etc. There are many examples out there. 

     

    What the staff has said at booster functions is that they made this decision as a staff and felt it would be in Tai's best long-term interests.  

     

    every time i hear ubel redshirt it makes me so sad. Ubel on this years team...just good times that could of been...i need a hug now.

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    Deverell Biggs to redshirt in 2012,  

     

     

    While agree with your overall point, it was Deverell who chose to redshirt.  Miles wanted him to play immediately.

     

     

    I stand corrected then. Scratch Biggs, but he definitely asked Ubel to redshirt for 2012-2013 knowing how much better the team would be the following season. Can you imagine how bad that team would have been without Brandon? 

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