Published: November 19, 2008 10:12 pm            

Lion-hearted Tiger

PRINCETON — A stress-free senior season. That had a nice sound to it for Amanda Smith.

That stress is gone. Smith’s future is signed, sealed and delivered to Concord University, effective for the 2009-10 basketball season.

“It’s a lot less stressful not having to worry about what college you are going to,” Smith said. “It’s a lot on you.”

Smith, a Princeton senior, joined teammate Laura Whitt is taking advantage of the early NCAA signing period and signing to play college basketball on Wednesday with the Mountain Lions.

“I’m very happy for Amanda,” said Whitt, who signed with High Point on the same afternoon at the PSHS library. “I think Concord is a great choice for her.

“I think she’ll do well there and I think she’ll really like it.”

While Smith received attention from several schools at both the Division I and II levels, the final decision wasn’t all that hard. Call it a family thing.

“I like the campus, the girls are nice, and I have a close family,” Smith said. “My grandparents will try to be at every game and my parents too.”

Smith, an honorable mention All-MSAC selection as a junior, is a versatile athlete, who was also a volleyball standout for the Tigers. Princeton coach Debbie Ball is glad she’ll be able to stay close to home and play for Kenny Osborne’s Mountain Lions.

“Kenny spends a lot of time trying to recruit local players, which is a plus for his program,” Ball said. “(Amanda is) a home body, her family means a lot to her, not that Laura’s doesn’t, but she’ll be happy being around her family.”

Ball thinks she’ll contribute to Concord, much like she does for the Tigers.

“I really think Amanda could play just about anywhere she really wanted to,” Ball said. “Amanda is as versatile on the court as Laura so she has the abilities. Offensively, she’s just a strong ball player.”

Concord’s roster is loaded with local athletes, including former Princeton star Lyndsey Repass. Smith thinks she’ll be able to contribute to the Lions in many ways, including her ability to shoot the ball and pull down rebounds.

“Hopefully good things,” said Smith, when asked what she can bring to Concord. “I’ve gotten closer with coach Osborne for a while now and he’s helped a lot with my choice, I like being around him.”

“I know all of the players and we get a long pretty well.”

Much like Whitt, Smith’s goal for this season is a trip to Charleston. The Tigers reached the regionals last year, only to fall a game short in a loss to Woodrow Wilson.

“I hope that we have a good season, and we should,” Smith said. “Hopefully we’ll go upstate. That’s our goal.”

Ball, who had never had a player sign during the early signing period, had two do just that on this day. She said that’s definitely not a bad thing.

“I’m kind of glad about that too so we can concentrate on this year,” Ball said. “They always have that in the back of their mind to go play college ball.

“This is the first time we’ve had an early signing. I’m glad they can key on having a great senior year and I can key on not worrying about them either.”

Also a fine volleyball player, Smith said there was never any doubt which sport would carry her to the next level.

“Forever really, since I started playing I wanted to play college basketball,” Smith said. “It is a dream come true.

“I guess you could say that I’m better at basketball than I am at volleyball.”

Smith, who will major in athletic training, expects to contribute to the Lions starting next fall. How soon remains to be seen, but she is certainly thinking big.

“It’s up to me, but I do feel like if I work hard I can start hopefully and play a lot,” Smith said. “I do like the way they play, I feel like I can help them.”

Ball said the Tigers have three other seniors — Tesla Akers, Brittini McClung and Heather Webb — who could wind playing at the next level as well. No wonder expectations are high at Princeton.

“I look at it that way and I think ‘What am I saying’ but they have that capability of dominating when they want to,” said Ball, whose Tigers open their season on Dec. 10 at MSAC foe St. Albans. “It’s all about their mental adjustments to each game.

“The conference that we are in is tough so it’s hard to go away and win ball games. They just have to — every day – be ready to play.”

Smith knows what she wants this season. A trip to state and continuing to improve with each day. After all, her college choice is set in ink.

“I just want to get better as the year goes by,” Smith said.

—Contact Brian Woodson at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

        

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