Former Southeast star Ben Smith in NIT finals tonight
Ben Smith was an All-State player at Southeast in 2008.
Southeast boys basketball coach Walt Brewer will make sure all of his players are watching the NIT championship game tonight to see former Spartan Ben Smith in action for Wichita State.
The Shockers will take on Alabama at 6 p.m. tonight on ESPN (Cox 29).
Smith graduated from Southeast in 2008, where he was an All-State selection before heading to Northern Oklahoma College. Wichita State signed him after two seasons at the Enid junior-college.
The 6-foot-5 swingman left NOC as the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, and he has made a quick impact at Wichita State, which played Alabama in the NIT finals Thursday night.
Smith was named the team captain of the Missouri Valley Conference All-Bench Team — essentially the sixth man award — after averaging nearly nine points per game in conference play. He shot 39.1 percent (34-of-87) from 3-point range for the season.
“(Smith) said New York is crazy, but he was having fun,” Brewer said. “It’s been great watching him. I love watching our former players at the next level.
“When our players go on to have success, I use them to motivate our current guys to let them see what can be accomplished if you keep working.”
– Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com
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Wichita State win the NIT Championship.
Congrats to Ben Smith & the Shockers.