Bob Jones’ Ja’Kyah Smith chosen for the 36th annual Mississippi All-Star Classic
MADISON – Bob Jones senior basketball player Ja’Kyah Smith is considered one of the top three players in Alabama among her senior class and will lead her team into the Class 7A Final Four this week as part of the AHSAA State Tournament. Win or lose in the season-ending tournament in Birmingham will not end her high school play dates for the Tulane signee.
The 5-foot-10 guard-forward has been selected to play in the 36th annual Alabama- Mississippi All-Star Classic scheduled to be played in the Magnolia State on Saturday, March 14.
“I am very happy with being selected as this is something I’ve wanted to accomplish to end my high school career in such a special event,” said Smith, one of a dozen players chosen for the Alabama roster. “I am very happy to be part of this team as I know many of my teammates from my play here at Bob Jones and through my playing in AAU action during the summer.”
Smith led her Patriots last season into an Elite 8 appearance averaging 12 points per game. She improved her play in the current season averaging 17 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals per game. The current season also saw her top the 2,000-point plateau in her career in high school after moving to Madison and joining the Bob Jones program as a freshman.
“She is a four-year varsity player with unlimited potential and is a leader for our team on and off the court,” said Sherell Robertson head coach of the Lady Patriots, of her star player that was chosen as a team captain for this year’s squad.
Smith saw her first action on a basketball team at age five while growing up in Huntsville. Besides her play on school teams, she also competes on a high level in AAU for the Atlanta-based FBC United Team where in 2024 her squad won the Under Armour National Championship. Throughout her time at Bob Jones she has been a highly recruited player and chose to sign with the Tulane Green Wave after finalizing her choices to four schools which included Louisiana Tech, South Alabama and Jacksonville State. She plans on studying sports management and finance in college and will carry a 3.2 grade point average with her once she graduates from Bob Jones in May. She chose Tulane because of what she called a “family atmosphere” within the coaching staff and players during her visit to the campus located in New Orleans. “I had a good feeling there,” she added.
Known as an unselfish player, Smith said she likes to see her teammates score more than she enjoys putting the ball in the bucket herself. She is a big guard who can score at all three levels and can defend all five positions on defense. “I feel I’m a good defensive player, plus I have improved my offense as I’ve gotten better driving into the lane,” said Smith. “I feel I can’t be stopped in one-on-one situations.”
Bob Jones (24-6) will face Auburn in one of the two semi-finals games at the State Tournament on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. A win will put the Lady Patriots into the State Championship game on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of the other semi-final game between Alma Bryant and Hoover.
“I’m happy to be a part of this All-Star Team as I know the talents of each of the girls on the squad and if we display our talents on the court like we should, our team from Alabama should win the All-Star Classic,” added Smith, with a bit of confidence in her voice.
