Tigers Offer Hometown State Championship Hero Fred Smith Jr.

Last week, Briarcrest Christian School, a Division II-AA private school located in Memphis, won its first state championship since 2019.

In an 80-71 win over Brentwood Academy, sophomore forward Fred Smith Jr. stole the show, going for 29 points, 15 rebounds, and three assists. One day after being named MVP in the state championship, Smith went to Instagram to announce that he received a scholarship offer from Memphis.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by fred smith jr (@fredhoops_)

Memphis is only Smith’s second D1 offer and he hasn’t been ranked by any prominent recruiting service. However, that doesn’t mean Smith is not the best sophomore in the state.

Scouting Report of Smith

Smith, a 6-foot-8 forward with a wingspan of at least seven feet, has an incredible feel for the game. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He can hurt you down low with his excellent post-footwork and finishing. His jump shot is still developing but he has a very smooth stroke and a consistent midrange game. The most enticing part of his game, though, is his playmaking.

“This dude leads us in rebounds and assists,” said Briarcrest senior and Belmont commit Cooper Haynes. “He’s the definition of a big guard.”

Having played against Smith three times in the past two years myself, I have a pretty good understanding of him as a player. Anyone who keeps up with Memphis prep basketball knows that Coach John Harrington runs a tight ship at Briarcrest. If nothing else, Smith plays the game the right way. His hustle and fundamentals have never been in question, largely in part to the system Coach Harrington has built.

Because of his size, Smith has been forced into a center role. However, he has a wing/forward skillset, making his game very translatable to the next level. As a defender, Smith’s length is always prevalent with flurries of blocked shots and tipped passes. His foot speed needs to improve to guard the perimeter as he hasn’t excelled when he has to guard beyond 20 feet.

Fred Smith Jr. will be returning to Briarcrest next year and is the second player Memphis has offered in the 2026 class.