Smith appears 

'Taylor-made' 

for PSA

By Ron P. Coderre

The Putnam Science Academy basketball program completed its roster for the 2014-2015-season with the signing of Canadian point guard Taylor Smith.  The Burnaby South Secondary School in British Columbia graduate scales in a 6-feet and 180 pounds.

As a senior he led Burnaby to a third-place finish in the, Lower Mainland Championships and fifth place in the BC High School Provincial 4A Championships, averaging 14.3 points, 6.8 assist and 5.2 rebounds per game.  As a junior he led the team in scoring with 19.8 points per game.

“Taylor Smith rounds out our roster for next season.  He’s a complete player who does a multitude of things on the court on offense and defense.  His biggest asset is his adaptability to the other players and the game situation,” said coach Tom Espinosa.

Smith was one of only five players in British Columbia to Receive a Telus Scholarship at the BC Provincial 4A Tournament and was the recipient of the Quinn Keast Award and Scholarship as the Telus Classic ‘Most Complete Player.’  He won the Terry Fox Award at the Legal Beagle Tournament and was a first team all star selection at numerous tournaments.

Scouting reports describe Smith as a natural point guard with a pass first mentality who makes those around him better players.  He’s comfortable shooting the ball on the move, off the dribble and in transition.  He rarely turns the ball over, leading his team with only 1.1 turnovers per game as a senior.  He’s a determined, tough and skilled defender. “We’re looking forward to bringing Taylor to Putnam along with our other recruits.  He appears to be a young man who blends in well and creates positive chemistry in a team.  He should be an exciting element of next year’s team,” said Espinosa. Smith joins guards Kaelan Ives and Tim Quashi, 6-5 twin brothers Andrew and Aaron Robinson, and big men Brendan Wagner and Vincent Eze.  The Mustangs are also returning 6-8 Mamadou Dhiarra from last year’s 29-5 team that ranked 5th  in the U.S.  in the final prep poll.