Schuckman: Former QHS standout finds his happiness and his game with basketball in his hands

QUINCY — The ball seemed so much more comfortable in his hands — certainly coming off his hands it was picturesque — than it ever did on his foot.

Jaeden Smith knew it, but he needed to embrace it.

Once he did, it made his happiness complete.

A two-sport standout at Quincy High School who was an all-state forward in soccer and a record-setting 3-point shooter playing basketball, Smith did what it felt like he was expected to do. He signed to play soccer in college, inking a national letter of intent with Maryville University.

Why was that expected? When you finish your prep career as the third leading scorer in the history of a successful soccer program and are one of just five QHS players ever to earn back-to-back all-state honors, there’s pressure to keep playing.

It doesn’t matter if your heart is on the hardwood.

“I always picked up a basketball whenever I could, even when I was playing soccer here at Maryville,” Smith said. “Whenever I went home, I was playing basketball at the rec center. It definitely was really, really hard to give it up, and it was a really tough decision.

“But this was the path God wanted me to go on. I’m very blessed to be where I’m at today.”

It’s where he belongs.

Smith gave up soccer without ever playing a single game at Maryville. He underwent hip surgery his freshman season, took a year off from sports in general to heal mentally and physically and returned to the competitive realm as a walk-on with the Saints men’s basketball program.

This season, he’s making an impact. The redshirt freshman has played in 15 of the Saints’ 20 games, making starts in three of the last five. He’s averaging 18.9 minutes, but that average is 28.5 minutes over the past six games. Overall, he’s scoring 6.9 points per game.

And to no surprise, he’s shooting well from 3-point range and the free-throw. The QHS career leader in 3-pointers made before Jeremiah Talton broke that record this season and the single-season free-throw percentage record holder, Smith is shooting 44.2 percent from beyond the arc and 92.3 percent from the line.

“I’m starting to find a groove,” Smith said. “All of our shooters are starting to shoot a little better. When you practice so much and you put in the work, the expectation is for every shot to go in.”

And his shot looks as smooth and effortless today as it did in high school.

“I always have to keep the shot looking good,” Smith said. “I’ve worked on it a lot since I was in junior high and it’s paid off.”

So has his determination and resilience.

His collegiate soccer career didn’t pan out like he hoped, and Smith knew he needed to regroup away from the field or court or whenever he might play before he could succeed on it.

“Freshman year was really rough mentally and physically,” Smith said. “Taking that break after I had hip surgery helped and find where my happiness was outside of sports was truly important. To also get back into sports made my happiness go off the charts. I’m in a lot better spot now.”

It centers around the effort and energy he puts into the game, something Saints coach Jesse Shaw expected from Smith when he allowed him to walk on.

“He laid it out there that he’s going to play the players who earn the minutes,” Smith said. “He doesn’t care if you’re a scholarship player or a walk-on. He just said, ‘You have to go earn it. You have to beat the guys who are on the court next to you. Just compete.’ That’s what he said to me at the beginning of the season.

“I felt comfortable when he was saying that because I wasn’t going to go down without a fight and going as hard as I can to earn a spot.”

It’s put him where he wants to be.

“It’s been super fun playing again,” Smith said.

Even more so, it’s been fun to play in front of family and friends. The Saints recently made the trip to Quincy for a makeup game against Quincy University. It meant playing at 6 p.m. on a Monday night — not a typical start time or day for Great Lakes Valley Conference action — but there was a throng of hometown support on hand for Smith.

It included his family, several friends and his former high school coaches, along with the entire QHS boys basketball team.

“It was super fun being able to play in front of a lot of family and a lot of friends and just to be back in my hometown,” said Smith, who scored 10 points and went 2 of 2 from 3-point range in the 85-77 loss to the Hawks at Pepsi Arena. “It’s always good to represent Quincy. It’s where my roots are. I just enjoy it a lot.

“The city of Quincy loves their basketball. Any day, any time, Quincy is going to show up.”

Smith proves that every day. He represents Quincy and his family and friends with his spirit and tenacity, but more importantly, he represents himself and his strong character by doing what he loves and what makes him happy.

And he does it so well.