Observer readers pick top prep basketball players. Concord Academy guard is popular choice
Taylor Smith said one of her main jobs this season was to help the new players on a young and talented Concord Academy girls’ basketball squad.
“I had to step up and take a lead role with that,” Smith said.
Smith was point guard on a team that reached the state championship game, earning all-state honors along the way and averaging 6.9 assists per contest, eighth-best in the state.
She apparently made plenty of fans along the way, as Smith was this year’s top vote-getter in The Observer’s readers’ choice prep basketball awards poll.
In weeklong voting, Smith led the girls’ assists leader category, and her overall vote total (11,139) was the highest of any winner in any category.
“It’s really nice to have that support,” Smith, a 5-foot-7 junior, said of the public online vote. “I really appreciate everyone backing me like that.”
She described herself as rather reserved but said she is “basically, a friendly person.”
Smith was a standout track sprinter in middle school but has focused mostly on basketball since first playing the sport at age 5. After a few seasons of recreation league ball in Cabarrus County, with her father, Jimmy, as coach, she moved to AAU ball with Lady Attack.
She was the backup point guard last season at Concord Academy but became the quarterback of the offense this season. With freshmen Justice Alexander and Faith Bekich and sophomore Ava McDermott in the starting lineup, Smith became the experienced veteran.
“I tried to help my teammates with their mistakes — not by yelling, but by trying to teach them,” she said. “We have some very, very talented young players, and it was a lot of fun to work with them.”
Their losses (the Eagles were 32-7) came against national powers like Winston-Salem Christian and Shining Stars Sports Academy from Virginia, along with North Carolina state champions Lake Norman (4A) and Sanford Grace Christian.
The Eagles lost twice to Grace Christian, including a 56-45 setback in the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association’s 3A championship contest.
Smith averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 assists, 5.5 steals and 4.9 rebounds. She a 1.93 assist-to-turnover ratio and had 10 or more assists in seven games. Many of her assists went to Alexander, who averaged 22.9 points a contest.
She said she plans to play in college and is getting interest from a number of schools.
But first, there is unfinished business.
“We came close to winning it all this season,” Smith said of the NCISAA state title. “We have most of our players returning next year, and I think reaching the finals will help us. Now we know what we need to do next season.
“I want to win it all, and go out with a bang.”
Readers’ choice honorees
Below are the winners in various categories for The Charlotte Observer’s readers’ choice high school basketball awards.
This year, boys’ and girls’ nominees were listed in several categories.
To qualify, a nominee had to rank among the state’s top 50 on MaxPreps in a category as of 8 p.m. March 20, and play for an NCHSAA or NCISAA school.
Boys’ scoring: LJ Smith, Lincolnton (5,359 votes)
Boys’ rebounding: Bryan Little, Piedmont (6,035)
Boys’ assists: Ka’Mari Cooke, Hopewell (4,626)
Girls’ scoring: Justice Alexander, Concord Academy (1,417)
Girls’ rebounding: Allasha Houser, Piedmont Community Charter (9,764)
Girls’ assists: Taylor Smith, Concord Academy (11,139)
