Strange: Note to Smith: No time to showboat

That’s JaJuan Smith speaking in hindsight. If you were at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday night, or watching the game on television, or within earshot of Bob Kesling’s voice, you know what we’re talking about:

That showboat play at the end of Tennessee’s 64-61 squeaker over South Carolina that backfired.

"Oh, man,’’ Smith began his post-game explanation. "I was just going to do something to get the crowd on their feet at the end.

"And it didn’t go down the way I wanted it to.’’

Carolina had just scored to make it a three-point — translation: one-possession — game with 4.3 seconds to play.

Tennessee’s inbounds pass went long to a wide-open Smith. No problem so far.

But instead of a layup or even a straightforward dunk, Smith tossed the ball off the backboard then tried to catch the rebound and dunk it.

Only he botched it.

Fortunately for the Vols, there wasn’t enough time for the nearest Gamecock to grab the ball and throw in a Hail Mary at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

"We’re not going to be a party to that kind of circus,’’ said UT coach Bruce Pearl, "and JaJuan understands that, is sorry about it, shouldn’t have done it and will be accountable for it.’’

On this night, forgiveness is in order.

Before he went Harlem Globetrotter there at the end, Smith was accountable for a whole lot of good things that spelled the difference between winning and losing.

Smith scored. His 21 points were huge on a night when Chris Lofton was first in a slump and later in the locker room with ice on his right ankle.

Smith defended. In the first half, in particular, he was like a glove on South Carolina’s leading scorer Tre’ Kelley. Kelley’s halftime box score: 2-of-10 from the field.

Smith rebounded. Seven of them.

And Smith mastered that most elusive of achievements for Tennessee at this point in time. He went 4-of-4 at the free-throw line down the stretch when the Gamecocks were in the process of chopping away at the Vols’ one-time 15-point lead.

"JaJuan Smith played a terrific ballgame,’’ Pearl acknowledged.

He needed a terrific ballgame.

Smith has been in a slump since back-to-back career-high 23-point games against Tennessee Tech and East Tennessee State.

He had an awful game at Vanderbilt, the first of Tennessee’s three consecutive losses.

Ohio State was a replay.

He started coming out of it at Auburn last Wednesday. Saturday, Smith answered the opening bell like a champ.

His assist created UT’s first basket, then he scored the next four buckets himself — all the while staying in Kelley’s face at the defensive end.

After going 5-of-24 from 3-point range in the losing streak, he hit his first two against South Carolina.

"It’s been real tough on me,’’ he said, "but my teammates tell me to keep shooting. They know it’s going to fall.’’

That’s what his e-mail tells him, too. His e-mail from Germany.

About twice a week Smith and his cousin, Vincent Yarbrough, swap e-mails.

Yarbrough took a few shots — 1,394 to be exact — in a Tennessee uniform. Ranked No. 8 on UT’s scoring chart, Yarbrough is playing pro ball in Bamberg, Germany.

"He tells me to stay in the gym and to try to get stronger,’’ Smith said. "One thing he wants to see me do is taking the ball to the hole more.’’

Here’s a thought Yarbrough might add:

When you take the ball to the hole at the end of a three-point game, leave the showboat stuff to the Globetrotters.

Just lay the ball in the basket.

Mike Strange may be reached at 865-342-6276 or strange2@knews.com.