He paid his dues on the CC circuit.

Now, Bri' ahn Smith is getting his chance to shine on the big stage – aka playing D1 hoops at Farleigh Dickinson University out in New Jersey.

Smith, a 6-foot-5 fundamentally-sound swingman, prepped at Madison Heights Madison in the late 2000s before heading to Miles Community College to get his grades in order.

In the summer of 2010, he landed at Farleigh Dickinson and immediately worked his way into the Knights starting lineup in his first season in the fold.

Over the past two years, Smith has averaged six points and three rebounds per contest, serving as the team's top defensive stopper as well.

Back in high school, Smith led Madison to league and district titles as a senior in 2008 before dropping a one-point heartbreaker to defending state champion Birmingham DCD in the Class B regional finals. While at Madison, he was a two-time all-league selection, putting up 18 points and nine rebounds per game.

The Farleigh Dickinson hoops program is not unfamiliar with Oakland County cage prowess. Southfield-Lathrup assistant coach Brandon Edwards played at Farleigh Dickinson in the early 2000s.