Jeff Smith hadn’t seen much playing time this season.
But the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga forward made the most of his minutes in the Mocs’ 89-51 win over Montreat on Wednesday night.
The former Tyner High star set a career high with 15 points including three 3-pointers to help the Mocs advance to the championship game of the Dr Pepper Classic against Georgia State.
“All season, coach [John Shulman] has told me to be prepared when my name is called, and my name has been called,” said Smith, who had played more than five minutes just once this season and did not play at all in five games. “I have some things to prove right now and I’m trying to keep earning playing time.”
Senior Troy Cage also set a career high with 16 points including a flashy reverse dunk worthy of any highlight reel.
“I surprised myself with that,” Cage said. “I was thinking a regular two-hand dunk, then I took off and turned and finished. I guess it shows that rehab [on his leg] worked out.”
And sophomore walk-on guard Dontay Hampton also set a career high with 11 points against the Cavaliers (4-7).
“I’m happy for Jeff and Tay because they’ve been here longer than me,” Cage said. “We know they can play and score, and they did that tonight.”
The victory advances UTC (7-6) to the championship game of the Dr Pepper Classic where they will face Georgia State which whipped Texas A&M Corpus Christi 72-42 in the first game Wednesday.
“Every tournament game is survive and advance,” said junior Omar Wattad who contributed 15 points in 17 minutes for UTC. “We held down home court and advanced to the championship game and that’s all you want to do. Georgia State is next.”
Terrell Mosley and Giles Mack led Montreat — which is coached by former UTC guard Lincoln Walters, who played on the 1997 Sweet 16 team — with 11 points each.
“We weren’t real sharp,” Shulman said. “But we did what we’re supposed to and that’s get to the 7 o’clock game tomorrow night. And Georgia State looked like the Lakers. But we’re happy to be playing at 7.”
The Mocs were in control from the outset against the Cavaliers. UTC led by 10 points less than five minutes into the game and by as many as 27 points before taking a 51-29 lead into halftime.
The lead was never smaller than 19 points and ballooned to 41 points in the final minutes of UTC’s fifth win in six games.
Smith now has 22 points in his last two games, and Cage has 30 points in the same span, with both games against NAIA opponents.
“We’re not going to go where we want to go without those guys,” Shulman said. “We’re not going to win championships without Jeff and Troy. Without Josh Odem, they have to step up.
“They’ve stepped up by making shots, but they have to step up in other areas too.”
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfrepress.com or at 423-757-6484. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.