Finally, a little Sunshine in his life

Steve Carp

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

HE always has smiled, even when he doesn't feel like it. Or have a reason to feel like it.

But when you talk to Sunshine Smith these days, that perpetual smile is genuine. While it has taken the better part of four years, it appears Smith has found the happiness on the basketball court he was seeking when he enrolled at UNLV in 1993.

The winning. The individual success. The chance to play into late March. All have embraced the 6-foot-2 senior guard from Brooklyn and he's enjoying the game more than ever.

Considering what he has been through, he deserves to have something good happen. Saturday, he has a chance to achieve a personal milestone. If he can score nine points against San Jose State, Smith will become the 27th Rebel to register 1,000 career points.

"It means a lot," he said of eclipsing the 1,000-point barrier. "Not many guys have done it.

"I had no idea I was close until someone told me about it."

What means more to Smith is finishing his career on an up note and getting a chance to play in the postseason, specifically the NCAA Tournament. At 14-7, the Rebels have some work to do if they hope to earn a berth next month in the field of 64. But it's still an attainable goal.

"If we could get to the NCAAs, that would be the greatest," he said. "One of the reasons I came here was because they always went to the tournament. I thought we would go every year and things would be good.

"I never expected it to be like this."

"This" was three different coaches in three years. "This" was spending his first two years playing point guard, even though he was a true off-guard. "This" was realizing he could score, even though he wasn't a gifted scorer, and trying to get his game to mature, even though it went against his basic instincts.

"This" was losing more than winning.

But to Smith's credit, he never gave up on himself or the program, although he struggled at times to find his niche. But thanks to his hard work and Bill Bayno's patience and perception, his game has rounded out nicely to where he is averaging nearly 14 points a game and has grown as an all-around player. This despite being plagued by tendinitis in his left knee going back to fall practice.

"He's got a better understanding of the game in terms of trying to be effective," Bayno said. "He's come to understand the difference between looking good and playing good.

"I have a lot of respect for Sunshine. Today, you wonder if kids love the game and respect it. Sun does. He's in the gym working his butt off, trying to make himself a better player. He comes to play every night. He's played hurt with his knee and won't ask to come out.

"For him to get 1,000 points with everything he has been through is a real accomplishment."

Smith also has struggled in the classroom throughout most of his career. But he didn't back off there, either. He has made it this far because of hard work and the support of UNLV's academic services, mainly adviser Lori Friel.

"School's always been hard for me," he conceded. "I do the best I can. It's just that it comes easier for some people and harder for others. For me, it's hard.

"But I'm a year away from my degree and I'm going to finish school. You've got to have something to fall back on."

He hasn't given up on playing for pay. He'd like to give it a whirl, even if he's a long shot to make the NBA.

"You always want to play as long as you can," he said. "But whatever is going to be will be."

There's still some unfinished business for Smith, particularly Saturday. He's still miffed about the altercation with San Jose State's Rich Taylor during the second half of UNLV's 71-63 win Jan. 2 that caused his ejection.

The two dove to the floor for a loose ball, got tangled up and contact ensued. When the officials sorted everything out, Smith was tossed for fighting while Taylor -- who Smith says threw the first punch -- remained on the floor.

"Yeah, I've got some motivation," he said. "He started it. He cheap-shotted me and I got thrown out. That wasn't right.

"I haven't thought about it a lot until now, because we're playing them. But I'm thinking about revenge."

He's also thinking about the big picture -- finishing his career on an up note.

These next six games are big if Smith and his teammates are going to realize their postseason hoop dreams.

"We've done OK," he said. "But we can do better. And now's the time to do it."

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