Saddleback’s Carter Takes the Long Way

Anthony Carter of Saddleback College holds several advantages on the basketball court.

He’s quicker than most, he’s a better leaper and he has a knack for scoring that places him among the elite in the state.

But Carter also holds another advantage that has made his basketball success possible.

Carter received an instant head start to college when his fifth-grade class in Atlanta was “adopted” by the I Have a Dream Foundation, which provides academic support and financial assistance to encourage students to attend college or vocational schools.

But until a chance encounter with a former Saddleback College basketball player on vacation in Atlanta, Carter was a rarity among his grade-school classmates.

He hadn’t reached college, or even completed high school. He dropped out of high school after his freshman year.

Carter’s abilities during a pickup basketball game impressed former Saddleback player Andre Craig, who asked Carter at what college he played. Carter said he didn’t, and Craig immediately called Saddleback Coach Bill Brummel, who became interested after talking to Carter’s parents and former coach.

There was only one problem--how to pay for Carter’s trip to Orange County. That’s when Carter’s deferred dream paid off. The foundation helped him return to school.

“I had about given up on playing in college,” Carter said. “When the second opportunity came, I knew that was my big chance. . . . One day I was playing rec ball and the next I was off to college.”

Carter, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, is averaging a state-best 27 points, thanks to a combination of his explosive first step toward the basket and his soft touch on his high-arching jumper that he often prefers to bank in.

“He’s the whole package,” Brummel said. “When you put it all together--his hustle plus his talent, ability and attitude--he’s the best I’ve ever coached.”

Carter’s success seemed destined early on.

As a freshman at Alonzo Crimm High School in Atlanta, he made the varsity team, and said he averaged 16 points. But soon after the season ended, Carter dropped out of school.

“I kind of regretted it,” he said. “But I just started to lose interest. All I really wanted to do was play basketball.”

So Carter spent his time playing in pick-up games. Some of the creative flair he developed in such games can still be seen as he works his way over, under or around defenders.

Although not in school, Carter realized he needed an education and earned his general equivalency degree in a work-at-your-pace program through adult education.

Once he met Craig and decided to give Saddleback a try, he was ready to take advantage of the offer made by the I Have a Dream Foundation.

The organization, which was founded in 1985 and has more than 150 offices across the United States, is a dropout prevention program that provides tuition assistance for students who maintain a “C” average in their college classes.

Carter has done this and more at Saddleback, where he expects to earn his degree this summer.

Twenty of the 30 students from Carter’s fifth-grade class are still in college.

Carter came to Saddleback in August 1994 with enough confidence in his athletic abilities to succeed but not so much that he came across as obnoxious. “He’s very confident,” Brummel said, “but he’s not a braggart.”

Much of Carter’s success is generated by his athletic ability. He has been able to dunk since he was 13, when he was already nearly 6 feet tall.

He and his Saddleback teammates have nearly perfected a lob play in which Carter either points at the basket or gives a quick head nod, then springs up for a dunk or layup.

“He makes everybody a better player,” guard Caleb Ashley said. “Everybody likes playing with him because of that.”

Carter’s knack for the spectacular spills over to practice, where Brummel says he is the team’s hardest worker. Besides games, Carter also draws a crowd in practice because other coaches come by to watch him.

Bill Cunerty, the Gauchos’ football and golf coach, said he spent the fall in a half-serious effort to persuade Carter to give football a try. He compared Carter’s talents to that of former Saddleback All-American running back Marcellus Chrishon.

“He’s like Marcellus in that he’s always looking past the guy in front of him and looking for the next guy after that,” Cunerty said.

Carter, who adjusted to Southern California quickly, had an outstanding freshman season, winning the co-most valuable player award in the Orange Empire Conference along with Irvine Valley’s Keon Clark.

Carter spent part of the summer in Atlanta but returned to Saddleback with a resolve to help his team reach the state tournament. Saddleback came up a victory shy last season.

But no longer would he be merely part of the Gauchos’ offense that included center Eric Ambrozich and forward Micah Kroeger, both of whom are at Hawaii this season. From the first game this season, Carter has been the focus of opponents.

Some teams attempt to double-team Carter, but once trapped, he often displays his keen court eye with a deftly-thrown pass that results in an easy basket for a wide-open teammate. Carter leads Saddleback with averages of five assists and seven rebounds.

Still, Carter, 20, is mostly known as a scorer.

He has had a single-game high of 44, one short of the Saddleback record of 45 set by Kevin Magee in the 1979-80 season. Carter also is chasing the Saddleback all-time scoring record of 1,450 points set by Dennis Smith (1975-77).

Carter, who is being recruited by several colleges, including UCLA, UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, San Francisco State and Hawaii, is in second place with 1,436 points. He said he is going to wait until after the season to start seriously considering where to go next.

“I always had it in my mind that I might get another chance,” Carter said. “I don’t feel any pressure to score. I just want to win.”