CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Austin Peay men’s basketball team has received a massive commitment for their 2027 class. Clarksville’s own Armani Smith, who stars for the Kirkwood Cobras, recently announced his commitment to head coach Corey Gipson and the Govs.
Smith dominated for the Cobras during the 2025-26 season as he averaged 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals per game. The Kirkwood star wants to be known as a Clarksville kid, and he’ll soon get the chance to represent his city on the highest level.
“APSU felt like home to me. The coaching staff stayed in contact with me, let me know they valued me a lot,” Smith said to Clarksville Now. “I relate to head coach Corey Gipson a lot, and he has always shown me love. APSU is home.”
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Smith on pace to make Clarksville history
The soon-to-be senior is the first Kirkwood basketball player to commit to a Division-I school. Smith already has over 1,500 career points with another season yet to play. Smith is also the first Clarksville product to commit to the Govs since Gipson took over ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Kirkwood High School has only been open since 2023, but Smith is already putting his name in the school record books. The young star was named Clarksville Now Player of the Year in 2025-26 and is also now a two-time District 13-4A MVP. Smith will definitely be a must-watch player for the 2026-27 high school season as he looks to add more accomplishments to his resume before heading to F&M Bank Arena.
Govs continuing to dominate recruiting trail
The Govs couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2027 recruiting window. The team just recently put the finishing touches on one of the best recruiting classes in program history in 2026. This incoming 2026 class features Cameron Ryans, who was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Michigan, and is the first Gatorade Player of the Year to ever commit to the Govs.
The team also added several other three-star prospects, such as Talon Todd, Traymaine Belanger and Bradley Floyd. In total, there are currently 10 players signed on to play for the Govs in 2026-27 who weren’t on the team last season. With the addition of Smith to the 2027 class, the program is ensuring that it will be able to build off of the impressive 2026 haul.
This recruiting success comes on the heels of one of the best regular seasons in program history in 2025-26. The Govs are coming off a 22-win season and their first regular-season conference title in almost two decades.
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