D’Mondta Smith doesn’t appear to have much in the way of shortcomings when he’s on a basketball court. Pressed into noting one, his Hixson High School coach, Alex Disbrow, said, “I’ve had to talk him into shooting more.”
A 6-foot-5 standout player lacking bad habits and selfishness? That seems like a coach’s dream. Yet despite all Smith does for the Wildcats, their season has been closer to nightmarish.
Coming into the week Smith was averaging 17.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots and 1.9 steals per game. But Hixson is 5-14 heading into tonight’s 7:30 District 6-A game at Tyner, which crushed the Wildcats on Nov. 29. Disbrow said forget the record, his team has developed greatly since then.
“We always have a chance to win any time we play,” Smith said. “It’s up to us to stick to it and play the way we can and hopefully come out with a win. At times it’s been rough, but we’re a team. We’re a family. After we win, after we lose, we’re still a family.”
In the Wildcats’ only district victory, 90-85 over East Hamilton on Jan. 12, Smith totaled 32 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks and four assists.