Playmaker emerges for UALR

Steve Shields’ situation at point guard was cause for concern two months ago.

First, Shields’ UALR men’s basketball team started the season with two point guards who had yet to play for the Trojans, both having signed over the summer out of junior colleges.

Then, J.T. Thomas, the player who emerged from an off season trip to Canada and through October’s practices as the starter, developed a painful groin injury. That meant, after stumbling through a 1-3 start, Shields had to put DeVonte Smith in the starting lineup as the team’s only remaining player at the position.

Through 14 games, it’s been so far, so good for the junior from Oklahoma City.

“J.T. needed me to take his spot and pick him up as a teammate,” Smith said. “I felt responsible for bringing my team together.”

In doing so, Smith has played about as steady as Shields could have expected. He hasn’t provided the Trojans (9-9, 4-2 Sun Belt Conference) much in the way of scoring, averaging 3.9 points per game, but he turns the ball over so rarely that he ranks among college basketball’s best in security while getting the ball to scorers Will Neighbour, James White and Josh Hagins.

“I can’t remember the last time he turned the ball over in a game,” said Hagins, who is averaging 11.4 points per game.

Heading into tonight’s 7 o’clock game against Texas State (5-13, 1-4) at the Jack Stephens Center, Smith has 53 assists and 16 turnovers while averaging 25.2 minutes per game. His 3.31 assist-to-turnover ratio would lead the Sun Belt and be tied for eighth nationally if he met the 3 assists per game requirement. He’s currently averaging 2.9 assists for the season, but 3.6 in his 14 games as a starter.

In six conference games, he’s been even more secure, with 21 assists to just four turnovers. He had six assists and one turnover in 40 minutes of a Jan. 9 victory over South Alabama, and in 37 minutes of a Jan. 16 victory at Western Kentucky, he didn’t turn it over at all.

“His value of the basketball has been unbelievable for this team,” Shields said.

Smith’s emergence has benefited UALR in other ways.

First, it’s allowed Shields to be patient with Thomas’ groin injury. The junior who transferred from Chipola College in Marianna, Fla., hasn’t played since Nov. 22,and though he’s been cleared to play, Shields is gauging his tolerance to pain before inserting him into a game.

Also, Smith’s set-up-first, score-if-needed mentality has helped Neighbour blossom during his senior year. The forward is averaging a career-best 17.8 points, tied for fifth in the Sun Belt, while helping White (11.4 points per game) emerge as another scoring threat.

Lastly, it has helped Hagins, a sophomore who split time at point guard a year ago, slide into his new role. This year, Hagins has moved to shooting guard, and for the last five games he’s come off the bench. He can still run the offense if needed, but when he’s on the floor with Smith, his job is fairly simple.

“He just makes the game a lot easier,” Hagins said. “Most of the time, you sit and you watch and he makes a play happen for you. All you have to do is knock it down for him.”

Shields said he opted to start Thomas in November because of his energy and traits as a vocal leader. Smith doesn’t offer those, but what he has provided as a stable leader for an offense that needed one has been just as valuable.

“I love taking care of my team,” Smith said. “If they’re happy and we’re winning, I’m happy.”

Tonight’s game

UALR men vs. Texas State WHEN 7 p.m.

WHERE Jack Stephens Center, Little Rock RECORDS UALR 9-9, 4-2 Sun Belt Conference; Texas State 5-13, 1-4 RADIO KABZ-FM, 103.7, in Little Rock