GREENBURGH, N.Y. — J.R. Smith is the best scoring guard ever to come out of St. Benedict’s Prep.
Isaiah Briscoe may be the next stud scoring guard to emerge from the Newark school.
And Smith wants to get a look at the 2015 combo guard who is considering Syracuse and UConn, among other programs.
“There’s a lot of great talent there,” Smith said Friday after Knicks practice. “We have a freshman over there that’s really talented so I can’t wait to see what he looks like.”
Smith may get his chance when St. Benedict’s — which also features 2013 point guard Tyler Ennis — appears in the ESPN National High School Invitational March 29-31 on ESPN.
Smith was one of three St. Benedict’s alums who played in the Knicks’ 120-103 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at MSG.
Samardo Samuels and Tristan Thompson of the Cavs were the others.
“I don’t really try to talk to my opponents as much, but they’re great kids,” Smith said. “I worked out with them a lot when I used to come back to St. Benedict’s. It says a lot about the tradition we have as basketball players and people we have. So hopefully we keep it going.”
Smith said former St. Benedict’s coach Dan Hurley called him when he first joined the Knicks.
Hurley is now the head coach at Wagner College, which plays Sunday in the Northeast Conference semifinals.
Should they win, the Seahawks would play Wednesday for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
“Coach Hurley called me the first day I got here,” Smith said. “He’s just a great person to play for. I mean, he brings out the best in all his players so just to be able to represent him while I’m out here on the court is amazing.”
Photo: St. Benedict’s Prep
