Two things capture your attention as you scroll through MaxPreps’ list of Southern Section boys’ basketball leaders and help explain the return of the #1 Blair basketball team to CIF Southern Section 5A.
Blair Jr. Kichree Smith Jr., described by third-year head coach Devon Richardson as a Jason Kidd type with flashy tackling and accurate passing, leads CIF-SS in assists, averaging 12.3 per game with an 11 average points.
Smith was on the team last season when the Vikings suffered a poor 9-16 campaign, but Smith has two new games to play this season and everything is falling into place.
Blair’s 5-10 freshman Timmy Anderson finished eighth in the CIF-SS in scoring and second in the San Gabriel Valley, averaging 24 points per game with seven assists. Along with Smith, he formed one of the most dynamic backfields in the region.
Blair’s total is just 10-7, but it’s worth noting that another elite scorer, Nazir Cammon, a rookie transfer from Loyola, recently became eligible with the end of the sit-down transfer window.
And if Cammon’s first two games are any indication of what’s to come, look out.
Blair announced his two biggest wins of the season last week. The Rio Hondo League opened with a 77-57 win over La Canada and then beat Alemani, of the powerhouse Mission League, 81-74.
This kind of victory has not happened to Blair in recent years.
“It’s just the beginning of what we can become,” Richardson said. “We are a young team, everyone has finally played together, and the last two games have shown what kind of team we can be. And we have guys who are gym rats, who do the work. We have dads who push them to 24 Hour Fitness before school to do the extra work. They are birds, oh a leg.”
Timmy Anderson is an outstanding player Here are some clips of the Freshman’s performance with 22 points, 8 assists and 3 steals in a 77-57 win against La Canada. pic.twitter.com/mPkQhVnqD3
– HoopGODSTV (@hoopgodstv) January 10, 2023
Anderson had some strong games, scoring 41 points with 10 assists in the win over the Hoovers and scoring 30 or more points in five games.
Anderson had 25 points and eight assists in Blair’s win over Canada, a 25-point loss to Alemany.
“His father is my assistant and he comes from a family (where) everyone plays basketball,” Richardson said of Anderson. “He’s probably our best three-point shooter. He can drive and score against the greats and is very skilled. The thing about him is just learning the game. He is young and learning to play basketball in high school. It’s scary what he could become because he’s committed too, you have to fire him “from the gym”.
Cammon didn’t play much as a sophomore at Loyola, but in his first two games with the Vikings, he lost 27 points to Alemany and 22 to La Canada.
“They’ve slept on him in Alemany and we’re glad he’s there,” Richardson said. “He IS a fluid player who is right. He’s in control of the game and plays at a pace that we all celebrate.”
The Rio Hondo League is tough, with South Pasadena, Monrovia and Canada, but Blair’s 20-point victory over the Spartans served to signal that the league should give way to another contender.
And being in Division 5A, the lowest of all divisions, there’s an opportunity for Blair to achieve playoff success, which hasn’t been there in years.
Blair continues to play RHL Wednesday in Temple City before returning home on Friday to face San Marino.
“We know we are not going to smuggle anyone out,” Richardson said. “We just have to keep improving and doing our job. We love our group and will continue to develop it, play hard and see where it takes us.”
