Union Church native Dewones Smith is making quite a name for himself as the starting point guard for the LeTourneau University Yellow Jackets.

In the Yellow Jackets last game on Jan. 13, Smith knocked down the game-winning three pointer with 13.3 seconds left against University of the Ozarks to give LeTourneau the 86-84 victory at home.

For the season Smith, a sophomore, is averaging 16.7 points per game, has 21 steals so far and is shooting 43 percent from behind the arc. Prior to his game-winning heroics, Smith was the first player in 2007 to be named American Southwest Conference East Division Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. He earned the honor after helping the Yellow Jackets pick up two conference road wins.

“It’s great to see all of the hard work that was put in over the summer is paying off,” Smith said.

Smith is also enjoying his role as the Yellow Jackets point guard.

“It’s wonderful to have the ball in your hands 90 percent of the time,” he said. “It’s like being a quarterback.”

The biggest challenge Smith said he faces at his position is staying strong enough to take care of the ball and not turn it over. He said so far he has been able to keep his assist/turnover ratio in the black.

LeTourneau head coach Bob Davis said he has been very pleased by how Smith has developed as a player.

“Dewones has made a great transformation into the point guard position.”

When Smith’s great defensive skills and his ability play inside are combined with his leadership and knowledge of the game, the outcome is a versatile player, which is something he insists Smith is, Davis said.

But Smith does not just enjoying playing basketball, he said he also enjoys where he is playing basketball. LeTourneau University is Located in Richardson, Texas. Smith said he likes competing far from home because he gets to meet and compete against new people on the court.

“I also have to show these guys in Texas that these boys from Mississippi aren’t soft,” Smith joked.

All joking aside he said he loves his team and is happy in Richardson.

“”It’s not where you go, it’s what you do when you get there that counts.”

As a child, Smith looked up to Michael Jordan’s plays on the court, and now he still respects the star for his leadership.

Learning more about Jordan has made him a better leader, Smith said, and helped to improve his communication skills with teammates.

“As a leader you are respected by other players. It’s like being a second coach on the floor,” he said. “There is also less room for mistakes.”

Off the floor, Smith tries to mirror his academic efforts with his athletic ones. While the kinesiology and education double major plans to try out for the NBA after he graduates, he said picked those majors for a reason.

“My majors are about coaching and teaching. One day I hope I can teach what I learned in college to kids that will probably go through some of the things I have been through,” Smith said.

Davis said Smith has also matured off the court since arriving at LeTourneau.

I have seen him develop into a young man, and I have enjoyed seeing him grow as a person,” he said. “We are really blessed to have him in our program.”

Smith said he would not have made to where he is with out the help of his family.

“I have to thank the Smith family in Union Church for being behind me, and all the people in Jefferson County who have supported me.”