April 19, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams has added a final piece to the Terrapins' recruiting class this year, announcing the signing of Allegany Community College forward Jamar Smith.

Smith, 6-9 and 225 pounds, averaged 17.9 points and 12.8 rebounds at Allegany last season while leading the Trojans to a 32-4 record overall, a 17-0 league record and their second straight Maryland JUCO championship. Smith follows current Maryland forward Ryan Randle and Houston Rockets all-star Steve Francis as former Allegany players to play with the Terps.

"Jamar is one of those special players who has the ability to play both the small forward and power forward positions," said Williams, who guided his alma mater to the 2002 NCAA men's basketball championship. "Jamar has developed into an excellent player over the last two years under Bob Kirk at Allegany, and we look forward to him being an important part of the 2002-03 Maryland basketball team."

Named first team JUCO All-Region and first team All-Maryland among junior colleges, Smith helped the Trojans to their second straight Maryland JUCO title and national tournament appearance by winning MVP honors in the Maryland state tournament. He had 26 points, 18 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots as the Trojans defeated Hagerstown CC for the state championship. In four tournament games, Smith averaged 21.8 points by scoring 22, 19, 20 and 26 points in successive games. He combined for 37 rebounds in the semifinal and final games.

A graduate of Overbrook High School and a native of Sicklerville, N.J., Smith averaged 8.1 points and 5.5 rebounds as a freshman in 2001 while playing beside Randle as Allegany played for the National Junior College Championship. Smith was a four-year starter at Overbrook where he averaged 25 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and four assists per game, and was heralded as a prep All-American by Street & Smith Magazine.

Smith is the fifth recruit to sign with Maryland this season, joining four early signees from last November: Travis Garrison (DeMatha HS/Hyattsville, Md.), Chris McCray (Fairmont Heights HS/Capital Heights, Md.), John Gilchrist (Salem HS/Virginia Beach, Va.) and Nik Caner-Medley (Deering HS/Portland, Maine). All four of Maryland's prep signees participated in the Capital Classic prep all-star game conducted on April 11 at the MCI Center.