Greensboro’s Ben L. Smith eliminates Hunter Huss in NCHSAA 3A state semifinal

Greensboro Ben Smith was too tall and too aggressive for Hunter Huss in Monday night’s Western N.C. 3A championship game at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem.

The Eagles used their height advantage throughout a 71-57 victory that sends them to Friday’s N.C. 3A title game against Eastern champion Southern Durham at the same venue.

Huss, which has only one senior and no player taller than 6-foot-2, struggled mightily with Smith’s frontline of 6-10 Ty’sere Payne, 6-5 Kenny Miller Jr. and 6-4 Jyi Dawkins.

The Eagles outrebounded Huss 46-33, including 17 offensive rebounds that led to 15 points.

“We knew that we were the bigger team and we needed to win the rebounding by a lot if we wanted to win,” Smith coach Derrick Partee said.

Huss was seeking its first trip to the state finals since the Huskies won the 2011 state championship.

Huss led only briefly in the first quarter before the Eagles (28-3) began pulling away in the second quarter. By halftime, Smith led 39-32. By midway the third quarter, it was 45-35.

Huss got no closer than eight points in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Jaleel Smith had 19 points for the Huskies, junior Antonio Worthy 14 and sophomore Zaiyir Phillips 10. Dawkins had 24 points and 12 rebounds for Smith.

Three who made a difference

Jyi Dawkins, Ben Smith: Junior forward had 24 points and 12 rebounds with 11 points coming in the second quarter when the Eagles broke away from a 18-18 tie to take the lead for good.

Jaleel Smith, Huss: Freshman guard scored a team-high 19 points for the Huskies.

Kenny Miller Jr., Ben Smith: Senior forward had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles.

Notable

▪ Huss coach Troy Phillips and his players are already thinking about the future.

“This feeling hurts,” Huskies freshman guard Jaleel Smith said. “Starting this summer, we’ve got to work hard and make sure to not have this feeling again.”

▪ In addition to the rebounding woes, Huss struggled in two areas that weren’t expected as the Huskies committed 12 turnovers (nine in the second half) and made just five of 12 free throws.

▪ Ben L. Smith has advanced to the Elite Eight in the state playoffs eight times, the first coming in 1969 with future North Carolina All-American and NBA All-Star Robert McAdoo leading them to a third place finish. Ben Smith’s best finish came when it was 1995 N.C. 4A runnerup to Cary.

They said it

“We came up here and didn’t have enough this time. Our goal is to come back here again next year.” - Huss coach Troy Phillips.

Box score

Hunter Huss 18 14 10 15 — 57

Ben Smith 18 21 10 22 — 71

HUNTER HUSS 57 — Antonio Worthy 14, Gladden 2, Nelson 3, Jaleel Smith 19, Walker 2, Falls 2, Griggs 3, Dawkins 2, Zaiyir Phillips 10.

BEN SMITH 71 — Gavin Palmore 10, Cowan 7, Kenny Miller Jr. 21, Mann 3, Jyi Dawkins 24, Payne 6.

Records: Smith 28-3; Huss 20-9

This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 9:41 PM.