Bio
Background: A mature student-athlete who will have three years of eligibility at UMBC… Signed in the early period of 2007-08… Attended Baltimore City Community College in 2006-07 and averaged 12 points, five assists and five rebounds per game for the Panthers…The team captain was named the school’s Athlete of the Year and was a member of BCCC’s Granville T. Woods Scholars program… Matriculated at Montgomery Community College in Takoma Park, Md. last year, but did not compete…Attended National Christian Academy before transferring to Blake High School and prepped at both IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and Philadelphia Lutheran… Can play either guard position… A member of the Beltway League champions while at NCA and a member of a 20-4 team and regional finalist squad at Blake… Earned honorable mention all county honors at Blake from The Montgomery Gazette and was a county all-star selection… Blake’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year also lettered in football and was a second team all-county honoree… Named the Most Valuable Player for D.C./Md./Va. in the Youth Basketball of America national qualifying tournament… His Philadelphia Lutheran team won the North American Prep Stars Tournament in Canada and he averaged 15 points, five assists and two steals per game and was the team captain at IMG… Scored 41 points in a 2007 BCCC win over Howard Community College… Uncle Wayne Smith was a national-caliber power lifter and parents Delcine (Jamaican national volleyball team) and Rowan (semi-pro soccer) Smith have extensive athletic backgrounds… Chose UMBC over other Division I suitors “because Coach Monroe believed in my abilities… UMBC is a great academic institution and it’s close to home so my family and friends can watch me play”… Did not begin to compete in basketball until age 14… Considering a major in health administration and policy, with a minor in social work… Has two sisters, Donna (age 28) and Akia (16) and a brother Omari, who is 18… Bakari Ojore Smith was born on Sept. 4, 1985.
