Committing to Penn State almost a year prior, the 5-foot-9 guard has shown a lot of potential at Universal Audenried Charter High School that could translate well for the Lady Lions.<\/p>\n
Strong vision<\/p>\n
As a guard, Smith\u2019s ball-handling is expected to be among the best of the team. However, her passing has also shown to be elite.<\/p>\n
At the 2024 Rare Footage Classic, the Philadelphia native used her vision to flip the ball to a wide-open teammate for an easy score.<\/p>\n
Smith scoops and tosses the basketball in no-look fashion for an easy assist off the layup. pic.twitter.com\/LVy2316jnZ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Smith\u2019s passing abilities go far beyond taking the ball down the court. Later in the season, she secured a defensive rebound and rocketed the ball down the court for another assist.<\/p>\n After securing the rebound, Smith launches the ball down court for an assist. pic.twitter.com\/dzL16ckHmx<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n When Smith\u2019s chances of scoring are less than ideal, she puts trust in her teammates to get the work done.<\/p>\n Smith fights past a Notre Dame defender before dishing the ball to a teammate for a contested score. pic.twitter.com\/NsP6qb8Cyn<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Guard Shayla Smith sits on the bench during a basketball game.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Marcellus Boone<\/p>\n Toughness to the basket<\/p>\n Despite having a smaller frame at 5-foot-9, Smith has shown her fight and grit when given the chance to score.<\/p>\n In a matchup with Paul VI High School in January, Smith backed down a defender and pivoted toward the basket, sinking the shot while taking contact.<\/p>\n Smith takes contact while backing down a defender for two points. pic.twitter.com\/dCVU5NyWEp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n However, Smith doesn\u2019t have to back down defenders to make it happen. Against Notre Dame a week later, Smith pushed right through two defenders to lay the ball in for a score.<\/p>\n Against Notre Dame, Smith pushes through a pair of defenders for a layup off the right side. pic.twitter.com\/QENWrXi71J<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Later in the game, Smith took the ball down the entirety of the court, making her way around a whole team of defenders before capitalizing off another layup.<\/p>\n Smith sneaks her way under the arms of two defenders and up for another layup against Notre Dame. pic.twitter.com\/aAiCIasg9n<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Guard Shayla Smith poses in front of a “We Are” sign during her official Penn State visit.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Marcellus Boone<\/p>\n Raining triples<\/p>\n Smith\u2019s high school coach Kevin Slaughter compared her 3-point shooting to that of Steph Curry and Trae Young in an interview to The Daily Collegian in April.<\/p>\n Throughout her four years at Audenried, her shooting has come in all shapes and forms from behind the 3-point line.<\/p>\n Against Gloucester Catholic High School, Smith drove down the right side of the court and launched an off-balance 3-pointer over a defender.<\/p>\n Smith launches herself off her back foot to sink a corner 3-pointer over a defender. pic.twitter.com\/6SUOHYPVZC<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n After taking the inbound and making her way down the court, Smith stopped just shy of the logo and pulled up for a very long triple.<\/p>\n Smith launches a long-ball from near the logo after coming up the court from an inbound. pic.twitter.com\/1htFVPKseh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n One of Smith\u2019s final triples from her 33-point game came off a quick-decision to pull-up from the top of the arc for a 3-pointer.<\/p>\n Smith ends the game against Gloucester Catholic with a pull-up triple at the top of the key. pic.twitter.com\/N5xXPPz1ce<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Noah Aberegg (@aberegg_noah) July 14, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n MORE BASKETBALL COVERAGE<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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