FAYETTEVILLE — Spencer Caraway will have no guarantees when he gets to Arkansas State this season as an invited walk-on, but just receiving an opportunity to play basketball for a Division I school is a major step.
Caraway, who played one year at Class A Izard County and two years at Class 2A Melbourne, will make his final high school appearance tonight for the East squad in the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star basketball game at Bud Walton Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m..
Caraway was considering some smaller schools, including John Brown and Harding University, and junior colleges before he was approached by Arkansas State Coach John Brady after national signing date. Brady wanted Caraway to come to Jonesboro as a walk-on, and Caraway jumped at the late offer.
It’s a move ASU won’t regret, Melbourne Coach Mike Watson said.
“Having that walk-on placed in front of his name won’t bother Spencer a bit,” Watson said. “He’ll take that as a challenge, and he’s succeeded at most any challenge he’s ever faced. If he listens to Coach Brady and adds some muscle and keeps improving, he’ll be starting for ASU in two years.”
Caraway, 6-5, averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds a game while leading Melbourne to a 32-7 record this season, but he understands the tremendous leap in competition in going from two small schools to the Sun Belt Conference, where the Red Wolves finished 17-14 last season.
He believes the transition should be made easier after playing for the Arkansas Wings last summer.
“The biggest thing for me is to get stronger and quicker so I can guard the [small forward],” Caraway said. “You’ve got to be able to guard for at least two or three slides at the Division I level, and I showed I could do that while playing for the Arkansas Wings. There’s always some great competition with the Wings, and that experience will help me.”
Arkansas State was already interested in Caraway when leading scorer Brandon Reed left the team late last month.Reed, the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year, transferred to Georgia Tech after averaging 15.1 points a game.
Reed’s departure should be a benefit for Caraway, although he admits he doesn’t know what his role will be yet. He plans to go to Jonesboro for a camp next week and expects to get things ironed out then.
“The main thing is that Coach Brady is someone I really want to play for,” Caraway said. “He’s right on track for what I want as a basketball player.”
Caraway already has made an impression on East Coach James Bates of Conway. Tonight’s format calls for five quarters instead of four, and Caraway will get a chance to show off his skills while rotating with the other East All-Stars.
“He’s shown he can shoot the three, but he can also put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket,” said Bates, who led Conway to the Class 7A state championship this season. “He’s got some skills, and he’s played in a similar offense that we’re running.”
If Caraway’s name sounds familiar, there is a reason. He is a cousin of Katie Caraway, who played in the high school all-star game in 2002 after averaging 24 points as a senior at Mount Pleasant. Katie Caraway went on to play four years for the Arkansas State women’s team.
“Katie was always in Jonesboro when I was in Melbourne, and she’s married now,” Caraway said. “I don’t see her that much, but I’ve seen film and she could shoot it, no doubt. She had a good career.”
Caraway is hopeful Red Wolves fans will be saying the same thing about him once he’s through at ASU.
Sports, Pages 17 on 06/24/2010