Andy Smith Class: Junior Hometown: Littlehampton, England High School: Kerr-Vance (N.C.) Academy Height / Weight: 6-6 / 205 Position: F

A 6-foot-6, 205 lb. forward, Andy Smith joined the St. Bonaventure basketball program in mid-June 2003. Born and raised in England, he comes to St. Bonaventure after two years of high school in North Carolina.

“I’m excited to have Andy as our first official signing,” said Anthony Solomon, who was named the Bonnies’ head coach on May 5. “He is a very well-balanced young man who will bring a lot to our program on and off the court. He is a fine student and his character excites me as we march forward. Basketball-wise, Andy is a versatile wing player who can be effective in different areas on the floor. He is a very capable three-point shooter and he will give us quality depth, which we certainly need.”

Last season as a senior at Kerr-Vance Academy, which is located in Henderson, N.C., Smith averaged 24.8 points, 11.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He shot 42 percent from three-point range and 53 percent overall from the field. Smith led Kerr-Vance to the state semifinals and a 21-6 record, and the Spartans were the #1 ranked 2-A prep team in North Carolina for the majority of season. Smith was named to the Class 2A Prep All-State first team for the second year in a row and was chosen regional player of the year by the Henderson Daily Dispatch.

“Andy’s one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever had. He is very serious about his development as player,” said Glenn Taylor, who has been the head coach at Kerr-Vance Academy for five years. “Plus, he’s just a wonderful human being and a good leader. His number one attribute is going to be his versatility. He is long and rangy, and shot a lot of threes for us, but he also can post up and play on the low block. St. Bonaventure is going to like what they see in Andy Smith.”

Smith played at Gaston Day (N.C.) School his junior year, which was his first in the United States, and helped that school to a 25-4 record and the state final game.

During his early teenage years, he was a member of several English junior national teams including an under-16 club that toured Scotland, France, Hungary and Portugal.