Seahawk’s freshman Adam Smith shines in debut

By Brandy L. Simms

Adam Smith could not have asked for a bigger stage to make his college debut.

Playing on the road in hostile territory, the UNC-Wilmington freshman scored a game-high 23 points Sunday in the Seahawks’ 71-62 loss to Atlantic Coast Conference rival Maryland before 12, 873 at Comcast Center.

“It’s a good way to open up the season against an ACC team,” said Smith, who logged more minutes than any other Seahawks player. “I don’t think people really expected us to do as well as we did so we shocked a few people.”

Smith was the only Seahawks player who finished in double figures; freshmen Cedrick Williams (8 points) and Craig Ponder (6 points) also made their collegiate debuts against the Terrapins.

Seahawks' Keith Rendleman was the focus of Maryland's defense, as he was held scoreless in the first half. Early foul trouble forced Rendleman to the bench in the first half.

“We’re a young ball club, one of the five youngest teams in the country, but we do have some veterans that can blend in with this,” said UNC-Wilmington head coach Buzz Peterson.

Among the veteran players who will be expected to help lead the club this season is 6’8″ junior forward Keith Rendleman, who finished with five points and nine rebounds against Maryland.

“He has a great move down low and we tried to take that away from him,” Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said after the game when asked about UNCW’s Keith Rendleman. “We forced him to use his secondary move.  I have to give a lot of credit to our scouting department for helping us prepare for him.”

While Rendleman was shutdown, Peterson, a North Carolina native who played on the Tar Heels’ 1982 national championship team, said he wasn’t surprised by Smith’s performance.

“We’ve seen him put the ball in the basket,” said Peterson. “We did a Bahamas trip early and he had twenty points.”

Smith said he was hyped to play against an ACC team in their home arena in front of a raucous crowd.

“I always want to get the W,” said Smith, “but it’s exciting, man, playing in the ACC. Playing an ACC team, big arena [and a] pretty nice crowd.”

Maryland raced out to a 23-15 first half lead but Smith’s dynamic three-point shooting brought the Seahawks within striking distance. The freshman drilled three 3-pointers to cut the deficit to 27-26 late in the half but Maryland rallied for a 32-27 lead at intermission.

Smith, a 6-1 guard from Jonesboro, Ga., finished 5-for-9 from beyond the three-point arc and scored 16 points in the first half.

The game also marked the debut of new Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon. The former Texas A&M head coach replaced Gary Williams who retired in May after 22 years at his alma mater.

Maryland's Ashton Pankey pulls down one of his team high eight rebounds in front of UNCW's Matt Wilson.

“I thought UNCW played great. They came at us with everything,” Turgeon explained. “A three-quarters court press, a full-court press, a half-court trap, a zone, man-to-man, and we adjusted well.”

Maryland sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin scored a team-high 22 points; Ashton Pankey added 13 points and James Padgett finished with 12 points for the Terrapins.

“They were a good team but they weren’t unbeatable,” said Smith. “We kind of had them on the ropes a little bit. Any team is beatable, man. It’s the game of basketball. The game of basketball never changes.”

To see all of CAAZone.com’s photos from the game, select the link below:

http://sportsspotlight.smugmug.com/College-Sports/Basketball/UNCW-Maryland-CAA-BB-2011-12/20074995_rRLscz#1583241347_K2L3pFM