Smith Stars for Coyotes to Earn Second CCAA Player of the Week Award
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Senior guard Jeremy Smith produced a game- and season-high 31 points, including the game-winning shot, in Cal State San Bernardino's lone action to become the first two-time CCAA Player of the Week in men's basketball for Jan. 19-26.
Smith, a product of Temecula who spent the 2018-19 season at Division I California Baptist, was the key figure for the Coyotes in a dramatic 95-94 home triumph over 25th-ranked area rival Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday night. He shared the game high with Bronco senior William Christmas while shooting 8-for-16 from the floor, 4-of-5 from three-point range and 11-of-14 from the line. Smith added a game-high seven assists, to go along with four rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot. He played 45 minutes.
Seven of Smith's 31 points came in the overtime session, most importantly the decisive three-pointer from the top of the key, while getting fouled, that made up the final margin. With 1.9 ticks left, he missed the free throw on purpose to seal the game. Along with two free throws, Smith tallied the final five points of the contest over the final 17 seconds, overturning a 94-90 deficit. The Coyotes, who are receiving votes in the latest NABC national poll, completed the season sweep over the Broncos, both in overtime fashion.
Smith was the CCAA Player of the Week for the first time on Dec. 24. Cal State San Bernardino now leads the league with three selections, as Daytone Jennings was the honoree back on Dec. 3.
Smith is sixth in the CCAA in scoring at a team-leading 17.5 points per game, and second in assists (5.1). He now has a trio of 30-point efforts. Smith drilled go-ahead three-pointers in the last minute of regulation in back-to-back victories at the start of this month, at Sonoma State on Dec. 4 and at home against Cal State Dominguez Hills five days later.
Saturday night's dramatic victory leaves the Coyotes (15-4, 10-3 CCAA) in sole possession of third place in the league standings, just one back of second-place Chico State in the loss column. Cal State San Bernardino remains in home action in the week ahead, playing host to Sonoma State on Thursday night (7:30 p.m) and San Francisco State on Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.), with both games available to view without charge on the CCAA Network.
Also nominated:
Nai Carlisle, Cal State East Bay
Zachariah Christian, Humboldt State
William Christmas, Cal Poly Pomona
Malik Duffy, Chico State
Andrew Ferguson, Cal State Monterey Bay
Khalil Fuller, Cal State San Marcos
Gabe Hadley, UC San Diego
Fred Lavender, Stanislaus State