Trevor Mathew
July 23, 2020
Richard Smith
- Nationality: USA
- Date of Birth:
- Place of Birth: Green River, Wyoming (USA)
- Position: CTR
- Height (CM): 218
- Weight (KG): 115
- Junior Assoc:
- College: Weber State (1976-1980)
- NBL DEBUT: 21/02/81
- AGE AT DEBUT: 0
- LAST NBL GAME: 28/06/81
- NBL History: Launceston 1981
- Championships: 1
- Launceston Casino City (1981)
BIO: Richard Smith was born in Green River, Wyoming (USA).
NBL EXPERIENCE
Richard Smith made his NBL debut with the Launceston Casino City Tigers on 21/2/1981. He scored 18 points in his first game.
In 1981, coach Rex Johnstone would be replaced by Max Pike, who looked to increase the size and strength of the team by replacing import guard Curtis Coleman with Smith. The move making Launceston the tallest team in the competition at a time where there was no three-point line.
A starting five that consisted of national team guard Ian Davies (22.8 points), imports Cliff Martin (20.5 points), Jim Ericksen (17.0 points), Richard Smith (13.7 points) and local guard Trevor Mathew (7.9 points)
Launceston had delivered their best result during the regular season, sitting in fifth place with one game to play. Some late heroics from Ian Davies got the team up for a win in the dying seconds of the last game and the team snuck into fourth position (14-8) and secured a place in the semifinals.
In what was an unusual way to start the postseason St Kilda, who finished on top of the regular season ladder (17-5), chose to forgo their chance at a three-peat to compete in the 1981 Club World Cup, elevating fifth placed Brisbane into the playoffs as their replacement. This also saw Launceston became the top seed in finals series which consisted of single-game semi-finals and a single-game Grand Final.
Launceston went on to defeat Brisbane (71-69) in a nail-biter with Tigers captain Jim Ericksen (23 points) and Ian Davies (18 points) and Bullets star import Leroy Loggins (31 points) going bucket for bucket at the offensive end.
On the other side of the semifinal bracket the underdogs came away victorious, with Nunawading Spectres eliminating the West Adelaide Bearcats (74-71). Al Green top scored for Adelaide with 20 points and Rob Mayberry scored 27 for Nunawading.
The Grand Final was played the next day at the Apollo Entertainment Centre in Adelaide with both teams contesting their first ever Grand Final. Launceston went on to thrash Nunawading (75-54) with Cliff Martin (25 points) and Ian Davies (18 points) leading the team in scoring. The win saw the Tigers become the first Tasmanian side to ever win a championship in an Australian national sporting league. Mayberry (16 points) finishing as the Spectres top scorer.
Richard Smith played one season in the NBL. He averaged 13.6 points, 0 rebounds, and 0 assists in 24 NBL games.
NBL TOTAL STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0 | Launceston | 14-8 (2) | 24 | 0 | 328 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 131 | 263 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 66 | 93 | 71% | 53% | 50% | 35 | Totals | 24 | 0 | 328 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 84 | 131 | 263 | 49.8% | 0 | 0 | 0.0% | 66 | 93 | 71.0% | 54% | 50% | 35 |
NBL PER GAME STATISTICS
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | TEAM RECORD | GP | MINS | PTS | REB | AST | OR | DR | STL | BLK | TO | PF | FGM | FGA | FG% | 3PM | 3PA | 3P% | FTM | FTA | FT% | TS% | EFG% | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0 | Launceston | 14-8 (2) | 24 | 0.0 | 13.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 50% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0% | 2.8 | 3.9 | 71% | 53.4% | 50% | 35 | Total | 24 | 0.0 | 13.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 11.0 | 49.8% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0% | 71.0% | 54% | 50% | 35 |
CAREER HIGHS
| POINTS | REBOUNDS | ASSISTS | STEALS | BLOCKS | TURNOVERS | TRIPLE DOUBLES | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|
COLLEGE
Smith played college basketball at Weber State, As a freshman in 1976-77 he played under head coach Neil McCarthy in the Big Sky Conference and appeared in 18 games with 1 start for a 20-8 team that went 11-3 in league play and finished second in the conference.
He averaged 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 1.1 minutes per game, shot 46.3 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from the free throw line, and finished with 47 points and 45 rebounds.
His top scoring game that season was 11 points against Cal State Northridge and his best rebounding game was 13 against the same opponent as Weber State reached the Big Sky tournament final before losing to Idaho State.
As a sophomore in 1977-78, Smith moved into a much larger role and played 28 games with 26 starts for a Weber State team that went 19-10 overall and 9-5 in Big Sky play under McCarthy, finishing third in the regular-season standings before winning the conference tournament.
He averaged 10.1 points and 7.4 rebounds, shot 52.8 percent from the field and 71.4 percent at the foul line, and totaled 284 points, 206 rebounds, and 7 assists.
His season highs included 26 points against Boise State and 15 rebounds against Montana State, and his progress was recognized with honorable mention All-Big Sky honours while Weber State returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years.
That NCAA trip ended in a first-round loss to Arkansas, a team that went on to reach the Final Four.
Smith became a full-time starter as a junior in 1978-79 and started all 34 games for a Weber State side that finished 25-9 overall and 10-4 in conference play, won the Big Sky regular-season title, won the Big Sky tournament, and made another NCAA tournament appearance under McCarthy.
He averaged 35.0 minutes, 14.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game, shot 55.9 percent from the field and 71.7 percent from the free throw line, and posted 489 points, 309 rebounds, and 14 assists.
Smith earned All-Big Sky recognition that season and was also part of a Weber State group that beat New Mexico State in the first round of the NCAA tournament before losing to second-seeded Arkansas in the next round.
By the end of his senior year in 1979-80, Smith had helped Weber State compile a 26-3 record, a 13-1 Big Sky mark, another regular-season conference title, a third straight Big Sky tournament championship, and a No. 17 finish in the final AP poll.
He started all 29 games, averaged 31.4 minutes, 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game, shot 52.6 percent from the field and 60.3 percent from the line, and finished with 337 points, 204 rebounds, 6 assists, 8 steals, 8 blocks, and 49 turnovers.
He received second-team All-Big Sky honours as a senior and closed his college career in the NCAA tournament with Weber State hosting Lamar at the Dee Events Center, where the Wildcats were edged 87-86 in the first round.
Across four seasons at Weber State, Smith played 109 games with 64 starts and averaged 19.3 minutes, 10.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.2 assists per game while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 67.0 percent from the free throw line.
He finished his college career with 1,157 points, 764 rebounds, and 27 assists, was a two-time All-Big Sky selection, earned All-Big Sky tournament recognition three times, and remained among Weber State’s career rebounding leaders after helping the program reach three NCAA tournaments in four years.
Related
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