Top-100 2028 guard Carter Smith is a name that spent his freshman season playing valuable minutes for a senior-laden Penn Charter team and carried over the valuable experience he gained to be a focal point for Team Final 15’s on the EYBL Circuit.

“I think it was a great spring and summer for me. Our coach was a great coach for us. He really helped us turn things around after we got off to a rough start. We struggled in Albany at Gym Rats, but once we got into EYBL play, we all figured out our roles and what was expected from us. Me, Rowan Phillips and Logan Chwastyk started playing really well as well as the guys around us and it starting turning into wins.

This particular Team Final squad featured a host of players who could contribute to the box score in multiple ways. Carter fit that mold with the numbers to back it as he averaged 11.7 points, five rebounds and 4.7 assists per game throughout Peach Jam. 

“I still have a lot of room to grow, but I think one part of my game that’s improved the most is being able to shoot it off the dribble. During the high school season, it was more of getting to the rim or catch and shoot three’s. If I can keep developing a game off the dribble, it makes it harder for the defense to really gameplan to stop me in one specific way.”

Heading into a sophomore season where more will be expected from Carter on a day-to-day basis, he’ll lean on what he learned from the seniors of last year’s team to step into a leadership role despite being an underclassman.

“Those guys like Jake West, Kai Shinholster and Jamal Hicks all really taught me how to play with great pace. They taught me how to use ball screens correctly and just the little things that it takes to be a leader of a team. We have a very different group from last year, but during the live period this summer I think we got a lot better. We connected and our chemistry is getting better, but for me personally, I have to step it up and score more on the offensive side. I also want to be that guy who guards the other team’s best player. A lot of new things for me, but I’m ready for it.”

Smith recently received his first Division I offer to date from Syracuse.