TASMANIAN Reyne Smith had another impressive campaign in the college basketball system, although his influence at the pointy end of the fixture was unfortunately plagued by an untimely injury.

Smith was an intriguing prospect heading into the 2024/25 NCAA season, making the move from the Charleston Cougars over to the Louisville Cardinals after three campaigns with the former. Playing for the Cardinals would undoubtedly put more of a spotlight on his game, which was a deserving upgrade after consistently building with the Cougars.

Although his efficiency dropped in comparison to previous seasons, the guard still put up career-best numbers in the points column, and most importantly, did not shy away from the added pressure that comes with playing for a more prominent school.

Smith started the season in tremendous fashion, pouring in 12 or more points in five of his first six games of the fixture, looking every bit the sharpshooter the Cardinals recruited him to be, and showcased his ceiling with 20 points and five triples in the win over the Winthrop Eagles.

Over the course of December and January, the Aussie really began to find his groove, posting three games with 25 or more points, which included a career-defining performance with 10 triples and 30 points in the win over the SMU Mustangs on January 22.

Smith kept that momentum rolling into February, and was gearing up for a big March Madness campaign. Sharpshooters of his calibre often prove the difference in the NCAA National Tournament, and he had certainly demonstrated the ability to stand up in big moments.

However, disaster struck when he suffered an ankle injury in the matchup against the California Golden Bears in the opening half of the game. He was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the contest and missed two weeks, with his return uncertain.

He did overcome this injury to return to the lineup against the Creighton Bluejays late in the tournament, but it was evident it was still bothering him, with Smith producing just five points on 1/5 shooting from the field as the Cardinals were eliminated.

Although it was a disappointing finish, Smith can hold his head high when it comes to his overall campaign, posting numbers of 13.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game on 39.1 per cent shooting from the field, with those numbers significantly impacted by his injury-interrupted final month.

With his senior campaign now complete, Smith’s basketball future remains uncertain, but there is no doubt he put together a strong career in the NCAA and will have plenty of offers from teams all around the world given his impressive shooting skillset.