Bloom’s Kazaria Smith doesn’t average 28 points a game anymore, but believe it or not, she’s much happier now.
After being the main offensive threat and scoring close to 30 points a game last season at Romeoville, the senior guard is trading points for wins as a transfer for the Blazing Trojans.
“It was fun scoring like that at first,” she said. “But we kept losing and that wasn’t fun. I want to be on a team where I can show college coaches what I can do.
“I’m not just a scorer. I like Bloom and how we do things here.”
The 5-foot-7 Smith helped Bloom get things done again Monday night with eight points and five steals in a 77-24 Southland Athletic Conference win over Thornwood at Bloom Trail in Steger.
The Blazing Trojans (16-2, 6-0), who have been winning big and playing suffocating defense, tallied 22 steals, including 18 in the first half. Kamryn Turner and Sinaee Price each had six.
Bloom coach Sherman White subbed freely after the first quarter Monday and didn’t place a player in double figures for scoring. Turner and Jayla Tyler finished with nine points apiece.
Leasia White scored eight points for Thornwood (5-16, 0-8). Nasiyah Baker added seven.
Smith, meanwhile, entered the game averaging 10.6 points but leads Bloom with 4.5 rebounds to go with 3.4 steals and 2.5 assists. She’s shooting a team-best 78% from the free-throw line.
Last season, Smith delivered a dream game with 58 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals and 10 assists for Romeoville against Thornwood. But she came over to Bloom ready to forego those monster numbers and mix in with a group of key players from a team that ended up 22-9.
“That’s the type of kid and player that she is,” White said of Smith. “She’s come in from day one and dedicated herself to hard work. She dedicated herself to put the team before self.
“It was really a very smooth transition. She fits in academically and within the team environment.”
White puts a premium on defense, with Smith’s arrival making Bloom’s defense even more potent.
“People are always talking about her scoring,” White said of Smith. “That’s all you really hear about. But she really plays at both ends of the floor.
“She’s a lockdown defender. We find ourselves putting her on the best offensive player on the other team and she wins that matchup. There isn’t a matchup she hasn’t won.”
Tyler confirmed that Smith beings “everything” to the table. She’s also happy to have another defensive threat at the Blazing Trojans’ disposal.
“Getting steals and our fast break is what we like to do,” Tyler said. “We play as one.”
Smith started to get serious about basketball during her freshman year. Before that, she was getting an education about the sport from some of her older male cousins from Indiana.
“They graduated high school about five years ago, so they were much older,” Smith said. “We used to go to my grandma’s house in Olympia Fields and play in the backyard.
“They taught me to try to be fast because I was the littlest one there.”
As far as her recruiting goes, Smith has offers from Illinois College, Illinois-Springfield and some junior colleges.
When he got the job as head coach five years ago, White wanted the players to be thinking not just about making it to state but winning as well — bringing home the big trophy.
That definitely suits Smith and the Blazing Trojans just fine.
“I like that we all have the same goal to go downstate,” Smith said. “I think when we fix everything, we’re going to go downstate.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
