May 3, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford University men's basketball added a third guard to its list of signees for the 2002-03 season, inking Jerry Smith of Picayune, Miss., to a national letter of intent on Friday.

Smith is a 6-1 guard who averaged 19.8 points and 7.2 assists per game for Picayune High School, the state 4-A runner-up in 2001 that finished with a 36-2 record. He was the District VII 4-A Player of the Year and earned membership to the All-State Tournament Team after scoring 29 points in the state 4-A championship game. Smith was also selected to play in the 2002 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game.

"Jerry is a good shooter who can also handle the ball well and can set up his teammates with assists," said Tillette. "With his talent he will provide quality depth in our backcourt."

In November, the Bulldogs signed guards Randall Gulina and Greg Zimny. Gulina is a 6-2, 200-pound combination guard from Central Private High School in Baton Rouge, La. He averaged 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in his junior season for Central Private, which began this season ranked No. 2 in its Mississippi private school division.

Zimny is a 6-1 guard from Stevenson High School in Chicago, Ill. He averaged 24 points and nine assists per game and earned All-Metro honors as a junior.