KFHS’ Smith a multidimensional talent

Senior basketball standout Jacorey Smith has the distinction of being the first athlete from King’s Fork High School to win the Suffolk News-Herald’s Player of the Week poll. He earned a nomination with his strong performances at the Second Annual Bulldog Christmas Tournament and received 256 votes to win the honor this week.

Smith helped the Bulldogs claim the tournament championship and was named the Most Valuable Player for the tourney.

“We’re working hard, trying to get everything we can, put banners on the wall,” he said.

In the first round win against Menchville at the Christmas tourney, he led his team with 14 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists and six steals. Against Kellam in the second round, he had 10 points, eight assists, four steals and three blocks.

Smith’s stats may not always be gaudy, including against Woodside in the championship, but King’s Fork head coach Josh Worrell made a point of addressing that.

“He does a lot of things on the stat sheet that people don’t see if they just want to come see who scored the most points,” Worrell said.

He has shown the ability to defend both guard and both forward positions.

“He can play a lot of different positions,” Worrell said.

“He’s very much multidimensional, which makes it great for me,” he said.

But Worrell had praise for Smith’s performance on the other side of the ball, too. Smith is able to play point guard when Akanni White is not available due to substitution or foul trouble.

“Offensively, he’s been shooting pretty well lately,” he said. “He gets to the cup consistently and knocks down free throws.”

Smith got started in basketball when he was very little. His dad helped arrange it.

“He was like, ‘When you turn five next year, you’re going to play basketball,’” Smith recalled. “I was like, ‘All right.’”

He had a little Fisher Price basketball goal that he practiced on. When he turned six, he played with a Suffolk Parks and Recreation team called the Sixers.

Smith began playing varsity basketball as a sophomore. That same year was his second playing football at King’s Fork, but has since decided to focus his energy on hoops.

He shares what he loves most about the game: “Just playing with the people I grew up with. I feel like we have a very good chemistry with each other, and just to see us all graduate in 2013, we all made it to our senior year, that’s a big step for us.”

The group he refers to includes fellow seniors Donte’ Ralph, Roderick Parrett and Byron Taylor.

As the end of his high school days come into view, Smith has clear aspirations to play basketball on the college level.

Smith identified who serves as his motivation to play well when he takes the court each night.

“My mom, because she’s really big on basketball, and I want to make her proud,” he said. “I’m going to be the first person in my family to go to college.”

His mother, Lisa Coltrane, does her part to help her son be successful in life.

“Got to make sure he stays focused and always, always keeps God first — I always tell him that — in anything he does,” she said. “He’s a very good kid, and he’s been standing out.”

Smith has heard only a little on the recruiting front, but plenty of the season remains for scouts to see him play. And the more the Bulldogs extend their current eight-game winning streak, the more college coaches will want to know who is a part of it.

 

Nominations

Following are this week’s Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week nominees:

• Khadedra Croker, junior power forward/center for King’s Fork basketball — She added another triple-double to her collection for the 2012-13 season, leading her team to a 10-1 record after Friday night’s win over Hickory in which she had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks.
• Caleb Repko, junior 285-pounder for Nansemond River wrestling — He faced rivals from Oscar Smith and Indian River, both of pinned him last year, and defeated them both on Wednesday. He pinned Dante Freeman of OSHS in 1:18, his first win against that competitor, and beat Tyler Fain of IRHS in a 5-2 decision.
• Logan Lokie, freshman guard/forward for Nansemond-Suffolk basketball — He led the team with 11 points in its first win of the season on Thursday and has frequently been a standout for the Saints during a difficult year, despite only being a freshman.
• Ed Drew, senior forward for Nansemond River basketball — He continued a string of strong performances with an 18-point, 20-rebound and four-block performance in a win over Oscar Smith on Friday night.

Vote by 7 p.m. Wednesday by sending an email with the subject “Player of the Week” to sports@suffolknewsherald.com. You can also vote on our Facebook page and on the Suffolk News-Herald homepage.

Next Sunday, we’ll feature the readers’ choice in a story on the sports page.

Spread the word.