ST. LOUIS – Jon Smith doesn't consider his situation to be a new beginning, as he prepares to receive a pass during a practice at the Edward Jones Dome two games from an unlikely Final Four.
He shifts his feet near the perimeter. He sizes up his target. He opens his palms and begins to yell.
"Right here!" he says. "Right here! Right here!"
Smith lifts the ball from his chest with a smooth stroke. It bounces off the back rim before falling to the court, as a small crowd starts to watch the scene unfold nearby. He lets out an, "Argh!" and jogs to the end of a line.
The fact that Smith, an Ohio sophomore forward, is preparing for a matchup against top-seeded North Carolina in the Midwest Region semifinals is an example of life's unpredictability. He was one of four Saint Louis players accused – but not charged – of sexual assault in spring 2010. He left the school before allegations were made public, and he has averaged 3.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game with the Bobcats after sitting out a year because of transfer rules.
Smith's return to St. Louis offers a chance to reflect, but the 6-foot-7, 190-pound Columbus, Ohio, native is content with life. He called the decision to leave SLU, where he had 87 points in 39 games coming off the bench, "The right decision for me and my family." To him, his current home is the right fit.
"I'm a firm believer that you're not promised tomorrow," Smith says. "Don't take anything for granted. It was a blessed situation to come to Saint Louis. It's a blessed situation I'm in right now. … Just enjoy the road of life wherever it takes you."
The road has allowed him to enjoy Ohio's most memorable postseason run in a generation. The No. 13 seed Bobcats made history in Nashville by beating No. 4 seed Michigan and No. 12 seed South Florida, becoming the first Ohio team since 1964 to win multiple games in the NCAA tournament.
In helping his team advance, Smith's contribution has been deceptive. His scoring average ranks eighth on the squad – well behind junior guard D.J. Cooper's team-best 14.9 points per game. Nonetheless, coach John Groce considers the tall, lanky talent to be one of the smartest players he has ever coached.
On Sunday, Smith's instincts impressed Groce in Ohio's victory over South Florida. Smith was a physical presence on defense during a second half in which the Bobcats outscored the Bulls 41-29.
During the rally, Groce's assistants turned toward the coach and pleaded with him to keep Smith on the court.
"Whatever you do, do not take him out," Groce recalls them saying. "He's covering up everything defensively."
Smith is fine with such a role, and that acceptance marks his maturity. He has grown in his understanding of the game's nuances since he left Saint Louis.
Now, preparation comes easier. As a result, he became a key reason why the Bobcats reached their second NCAA tournament in three years.
"Life's a teacher," junior forward Ivo Baltic says. "He's probably happy about the decision he made."
Still, Smith's transition to Ohio required an adjustment. He took advantage of workouts and shooting drills with his new teammates last season, well aware that repetition was necessary to learn.
This winter, that work produced results that pleased Groce. Smith has averaged 19.6 minutes played per game, and he scored a season-high 13 in a victory over Miami (Ohio) on March 2.
"He had an opportunity to play (at Ohio), and it would have been difficult for him to play at our place," Saint Louis coach Rick Majerus says. "I'm happy for him. It's a great move for him. It's good for Ohio."
Others in the Bobcats locker room think so, too. He is one of Ohio's biggest jokers – he uses the term, "clown buddy" in funny situations – and he is known to pop his jersey into cameras and stare down teammates following strong slam dunks. He keeps the atmosphere light.
The loose nature of Smith's personality was obvious after the Bobcats' practice Thursday. In the locker room, sophomore forward Nick Kellogg conducted a television interview while shirtless with a green jersey draped over his right shoulder.
Nearby, Smith glanced at his teammate and turned toward a school official.
"Ain't that Media 101?" Smith said, sarcasm in his voice. "They tell you to keep your shirt on!"
Beyond the quips, though, Smith has a serious side. Some around Ohio's program have noticed him become a greater mentor this season. He advises freshmen, and he has told some close to him to push through adversity – something he learned during his transition from SLU to Ohio.
But Smith knows there is room to do more. He wants to gain more size and strength. A larger frame would make him more of a threat within a fast-paced system that produced an average of 70.3 points per game this season.
"I think it's all going to come," Smith says. "The system is a really good system for me – it's an up-and-down pace. And different offensive schemes we have fit me really well. I'm really excited."
Smith has embraced that excitement. Life includes unforeseen turns, as he knows better than most since leaving SLU.
He would love his next stop to lead to New Orleans.
