(Eye On is a new series profiling a cross section of FCIAC athletes, both in story and video interview form.)
If it seems like Casey Smith is in her sixth season playing for the Danbury High School girls basketball team, well, you are not the only one.
“I was the sixth man as a freshman, so even for me I feel like I have been playing longer than four years,” the easygoing 6-foot-2 center said.
There is not much that Smith has not accomplished during her career. Right now she is averaging 18.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.2 steals for the FCIAC’s lone unbeaten team. She will be playing next year at St. Joseph’s.
About the only void for Smith is the same one for her school: the Hatters have never won a league championship. Though they will enter the postseason as the favorites, there are a number of talented teams capable of derailing them.
“Obviously there’s a little pressure (being seeded) No. 1, so we just have to keep getting better and not let a little pressure beat us,” Smith said.
Smith seemingly has been an early bloomer in all areas of her life. “In 2nd and 3rd grade I was the same height as everybody else,” she said. “Then they stopped growing and I kept growing.”
Smith made the same kind of early progress on the basketball court.
“Freshman year I wasn’t very polished; I was a little out of control,” she said. “Sophomore year I started learning how to play.”
Smith’s numbers this season are even more impressive because there are more talented post players in the conference than at any time in recent memory.
“In past years there wasn’t as much of a post presence in the league,” Smith said. “This year there’s a lot. There are so many of them.”
One is Trinity Catholic’s 6-foot center, Mackenzie Griffin, who was Smith’s teammate on the Exodus AAU team.
“I always knew she was a great player and I wanted to play with her,” Griffin said. “Once we met each other we became good friends right away. She helped me get better with my game too.”
Smith said her game against the Crusaders and Griffin earlier this season was one of the toughest.
“I have a lot of respect for her,” Smith said. “A lot of teams play different defenses, but Mackenzie plays straight up and she’s really good too.”
Smith was heavily recruited, but picked St. Joseph’s over Drexel, Rhode Island, James Madison and Fairfield.
“It just felt like home the first time I was there,” Smith said. “It felt right.”
Smith said right now she is most focused on the present and doing a little remodeling to the Danbury gymnasium.
“As a freshman we really wanted to win the FCIAC title,” she said. “Now as seniors, we really want to put the banner on the wall. To say that we are No. 1. We’ve really worked hard for it.”
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