Summit Native Returns to Garden State

As you prepare to watch No. 6 West Virginia visit No. 4 Purdue (2:30 p.m. - ESPN) on New Year's Day in one of the best college basketball matchups of the season to date, keep an eye on West Virginia's No. 35.

Why?

Last week, one of the best basketball players ever to set foot on Kent Place Boulevard returned to the state one final time after coming off one of the best nights of his career.

Summit native Wellington Smith returned home to the Garden State for his final game as a collegian as sixth-ranked West Virginia defeated Seton Hall, 90-84 in overtime, at the Prudential Center in Newark.

Smith had seven points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in 31 minutes in the Mountaineers victory. The three blocks tied him for fifth on the all-time West Virginia list with Pervires Greene, who had 139 blocks in 120 games from 1991-94. After the Seton Hall game, Smith had 139 blocks in 111 games.

"About 30 people came to the game for myself, maybe even more, but only family and close friends got tickets," said Smith. "After the win, I was excited and was glad that my friends and family were there to celebrate with me."

Three nights earlier, Smith had a career-high 19 point performance, including 17 in the second half, in a 76-66 win against No. 15 Mississippi. Smith shot 7-of-9 from the field, including a career-high 5-for-6 from behind the arc, in 27 minutes.

"Wells has really shot it well in practice," said Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins in the post-game press conference after the Ole Miss victory.

Smith, who is majoring in multidisciplinary studies and is the youngest of three siblings, is averaging 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 22.2 minutes in 11 games this season. The 6-7, 245-pound senior forward has started in 46 straight games, including all 35 games as a junior, for the Mountaineers.

As a senior at Summit High School, Smith averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks per game and was named first team all-state and first team all-Union County. Smith also earned second team all-state honors by New Jersey Hoops (www.njhoops.com) in 2005. Smith finished his Hilltopper career with 1,224 points and ranks No. 1 in career rebounds with 734.

"Wellington was first team Group 2 and second team All-State and led us to two North II, Group 2 state sectional titles in 2004 and 2005 plus a runner-up finish in the Group 2 state finals two years in a row," said Summit coach Eugene Maxwell, who is in his 11th season at the helm. "We still talk quite a bit and whenever he is in the area, I go to the games."

Smith spent the 2006 season attending Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, helping his team to the MAPL tournament and was named first team all-MAPL.

"Wellington was a great leader and role model for all the players that have come to Summit after him," added Maxwell. "I consider it a privilege to have coached him during his time at Summit."

"My experience has been great here (at West Virginia)," said Smith, who loves Magic Blends at Summit's Magic Fountain. "There have been good and bad times on and off the court, but I have loved every minute of it, built new relationships and have made lasting friendships."

For more info on Wellington Smith, visit http://www.msnsportsnet.com/profile.cfm?id=101267&sport=mbball