Tuesday, January 16, 2001
Area's biggest scorer from smallest school
Silver Grove's McCarter averages 26.3 ppg
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
Chad McCarter
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SILVER GROVE — It was one of the few times Chad McCarter and Steve Hart have disagreed.
During a recent practice McCarter, the 5-foot-11 senior guard, said he beat Hart, his Silver Grove coach, “15-2, 15-3 the last two times we played” 1-on-1 basketball.
Countered Hart: “He's very much exaggerated that score.”
One thing that can't be exaggerated is McCarter's scoring for the Big Trains this season. He is averaging 26.3 point per game — the highest in Greater Cincinnati.
McCarter's average is 5.3 points higher than Moeller's Matt Sylvester, who is second in the area.
But McCarter doesn't want to hear about numbers.
“The thing is, I don't like to look at stats,” he said. “I've never played for stats. I hate when Coach (Hart) posts 'em up.”
McCarter also has never considered leaving Silver Grove — enrollment 66 — for a bigger school, even though his dad, Scott, wanted him to transfer to Campbell County.
“My friends are at Silver Grove,” McCarter said. “I like the town, I love the people.”
McCarter joined the varsity as an eighth-grader in 1996. Hart said he was a skinny kid who “released his shot low because he was too small to get it above his head.”
“But he could really handle the ball,” Hart said. “I wanted him to play in the seventh grade, but his daddy wouldn't let him play ... His technique was good.”
Those who've tried to contain McCarter agree on this — there's no single way to do it.
“He was getting a lot of penetration to the basket,” said Dayton coach Barrett Bradshaw, who watched McCarter score 21 on Jan. 5. “Our reaction to him wasn't very good.”
McCarter managed just 14 against Calvary Christian on Dec.19 because coach Jeff Bowers decided one defender wasn't enough.
“We double-teamed him every opportunity we could,” Bowers said. “He's a good outside threat, and he'll take it to the hole.”
McCarter poured in 42 points against Powell County on Dec. 1, then a day later scored 45 points in a 107-78 victory over Jackson City. McCarter was spurred on by comments a Jackson City player made about the team's lack of size.
“Them thinking they can beat you, that's a head start,” said McCarter, who is the second tallest player for the Big Trains.
“He missed five shots in two games; he put on a show,” Hart said.
Silver Grove takes its 14-0 record into tonight's Touchstone Energy 10th Region All “A” opener against Maysville St. Patrick (7:30 p.m. at Bishop Brossart).
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Area's biggest scorer from smallest school