CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville High senior guard Malon Smith has been a model of consistency for the Wildcats over her four years. She’s won four district titles, two region titles (with a chance for another one this year), and has been the leading scorer for the Wildcats in her senior season, averaging 20.2 points per contest. While some are just now learning her name, some know that Smith has been doing her thing for a long time.
Smith has been a four-year starter under head coach Brian Rush and has been versatile in all areas. For her first three years, she would take on any job Rush gave her, whether that was as a facilitator, to guard the opponents’ best offensive option, or when defenses would double team the All-American Imari Berry for Smith to be the primary scorer — all roles Smith takes pride in.
“It’s a mindset thing; depending on what coach tells me in the locker room, I’m gonna do it,” said Smith. “Whether it’s to guard their best player, I need to create offense through passing or get to the basket. I’m going to back my teammates up on any given night. I knew my role coming in, and I know I have to do that role well to help my team win.”
No one knows more about the type of teammate Smith is better than Berry, who is making an immediate impact in her freshman year for the Louisville Cardinals. For Berry, she had the ultimate trust in Smith to back her up on any given night.
“From freshman to senior year, I watched her grow into a leader on the floor — more confident, more skilled, and always ready to step up when the team needed her,” Berry told Clarksville Now. “No matter the situation, she had my back, whether I was in foul trouble or just not playing my best. She never hesitated to take control, pick me up, and make sure we stayed in the fight. Her growth wasn’t just in her game but in her heart, and I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate by my side.”
While Berry spent most of the time in the spotlight during Smith’s first three seasons, Smith had a lot of big moments, including a 30-point outing in last year’s district championship game against Rossview. Moments like that hint that Smith could’ve been the best player on almost every other team in Clarksville. She could have gone to a school where she would be the No. 1 option, and no one would blame her for looking out for her stats and her career. However, a true team player, Smith stayed true to the Lady Wildcats.
“It’s always been people in my ear telling me what I should do, but I’m not a quitter, and I saw a plan and a future for myself here,” said Smith. “It complements my playstyle; I am a pass-first point guard regardless.”
The Lady Wildcats are currently on a mission to get back to Murfreesboro for the third year in a row, a journey that continues with a semifinal matchup against Dickson County on Monday. For Smith, it is about leaving her own legacy.
“I’ve taken more of a leadership role this year,” said Smith. “We’re not the best scoring team, but I know my girls are gonna back me up. If I show them that I want it, they’re gonna want it, and we’re a bunch of dogs on the court. I want to be a player that’s known to be able to do it all. I’m only 5-6, so I wanna known as a little pitbull who can go get it. We’re gonna go back to state, whatever it takes.”
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