NAME TO KNOW:
6’3” Junior Travius Smith (Lake Taylor- VA)
PLAYER: Travius Smith
TWITTER: @traviussmith52
CLASS: 2016
HEIGHT and WEIGHT: 6’3” 154lbs
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM: Lake Taylor (Norfolk, VA)
HIGH SCHOOL STATISTICS: 16 Points, 6 Rebounds, 4 Assists per game
AAU PROGRAM: Team Loaded 757
GPA: 2.9
THOUGHTS ON SMITH:
Travius Smith is quickly developing into one of the most underrated players in Virginia’s talented class of 2016. When we first scouted Smith a few months back at our first annual Phenom Hoops Virginia Top 80 Camp, it was easy to tell that the Lake Taylor star came to Virginia Wesleyan to make his name known.
Heading into the event, Smith was a player we weren’t exactly familiar with, but after an impressive performance, we immediately knew we had to add this young gun to our recruiting radar. Smith put on an absolute show for the 757! Play after play, bucket after bucket, the 6’3” rising senior looked virtually unstoppable. Smith is an extremely versatile guard with the ability to take control of the game at any moment. Whenever he touched the rock, opposing defenders knew he was about to cause complete chaos. On offense, Smith is a floor general with a motor unlike any other. He has absurd quickness, shifty handles, and a unique jump shot with limitless range all over the court.
Throughout the course of the afternoon, Smith threw down several monstrous fast break slams; giving his team much needed momentum against some of Virginia’s most elite competition. Who knew he had bounce like that' Despite being a tad bit undersized, Smith is also a sensational rebounder. He continuously attacks the glass strong and fights hard for boards on both sides of the floor. Defensively, Smith is just as stellar. He plays tight on-ball defense, has long arms, and causes countless amounts of turnovers. Smith is an exciting player with a fantastic work ethic.
After an incredible effort in Norfolk that Sunday afternoon, Smith earned the “Mr. Hustle” award, given to the player who displayed the most amount of hustle in all aspects of the camp. From the early morning station drills, to the intense scrimmages, Smith proved to us he was on a mission. With the summer live period just around the corner, college coaches need to pay close attention to this stud. Smith is a smart, dedicated player with endless potential on the hardwood.
If he can gain a little weight and work on a few additional pieces of his game, we wouldn’t be surprised if Smith racked in a couple scholarships this summer with his Team Loaded 757 squad. We’re definitely looking forward to see how Travius progresses throughout the rest of his high school career.