Harmony point guard Leah Smith signs grant to Warner University

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Harmony point guard Leah Smith signs grant to Warner University

Sports

Friday, 07 May 2010 15:15

LeahSigning

Photo/Special to the News-Gazette

Harmony basketball player Leah Smith signed a scholarship to Warner University in Lake Wales recently at the school’s media center. She is flanked by Warner Coach Matt Murphy, left, and Harmony Coach Steve Smith.

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Sometimes, good fortune arrives when you least expect it.
Leah Smith had it all figured out – graduate from Harmony with her near-4.0 grade point average, head to Florida Hospital College, study sports medicine, go into practice, print her own money.
Or, so she thought.
The senior, who didn’t intend to play college basketball after a solid varsity career at Harmony, saw an unexpected opportunity in Lake Wales at Warner University, an NAIA school in the Sun Conference.
She recently signed an athletic grant to the school with friends and family at the Harmony media center.
Smith played at the inaugural Osceola County Senior All-Star Game on March 27 at Poinciana High, and among the attendees was Royals Coach Matt Murphy.
“I didn’t plan on it, it just came about,” the 5-4 point guard said. “The coach talked to me after the All-Star Game, invited me down to a camp, and offered me a spot down there.”
Smith played two years of varsity hoops for Coach Steve Smith at Harmony after transferring from St. Cloud. As a senior, she was the primary point guard for the Longhorns, who went 15-11 and qualified for the regional playoffs for the first time in three seasons.
Smith displayed a sharp shooting touch (13 points per game) from beyond the three-point line and at the foul line . She has the ability to find open teammates (three assists per game).
Coach Smith (no relation) said that Leah has been a delight to coach for the last two years.
“Her leadership on the floor, especially this year, was crucial to our success,” he said.
She is one of the better shooters I have coached and her overall ability is very evident. I feel she will do well at the next level. I feel very lucky to have been able to have her in our program.”
Leah Smith, who plans to enter Warner’s physical therapy program, said her shot is the strong part of her game, and that she’ll spend the summer working on her ballhandling after Murphy told her that she may continue her high school role as a point guard in addition to playing shooting guard.
“I just need the confidence to be able to play at that level,” she said.
The Royals were 12-18 last season under Murphy, who also made Stephanie Wills, a forward from Orlando’s Boone High, part of the school’s 2010 signing class.
“I am pleased that Leah and Stephanie will be joining us next fall. They possess all of the qualities that we look for in a Warner student-athlete,” Murphy said.