Published in the Courier News on December 18, 2003
Derrick Caracter -- all 6 feet, 9 inches and 275 pounds of him -- raised hisright hand high above the crowd to receive the inbounds pass. He got the ball,and within the blink of an eye flicked it to 6-foot-7 teammate Lance Thomas,who threw down an uncontested dunk with two hands.
Two hundred spectators cheered, and no fewer than five video cameras preservedthe moment. This was the scene at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School's boys basketballscrimmage against St. Mary of Elizabeth on Tuesday. Get your tickets now, because it's going to be an awful lot of fun to watch theRaiders and their two towers this winter. And these guys are just sophomores.
"It's cool, having a big man just as good as me," said Caracter, whotransferred to his hometown school after spending his freshman year at St.Patrick. "It's somebody to pass to, somebody who can finish around the basket."It's cool -- and much more. Caracter's much-heralded return home, coupled withThomas' vast improvement, has made Scotch Plains-Fanwood the talk of NewJersey's seen-it-all hoops establishment. Suddenly, a team that finished 6-16last year is playing in three showcase tournaments and getting "swing by"visits from Michigan, Georgetown and Wake Forest college basketball recruiters.
"It's more than I even thought," head coach Dan Doherty said. The whirlwind began in the May, when Caracter decided to stay at ScotchPlains-Fanwood after transferring from St. Patrick in March. There were toomany distractions at the Union County catholic school, and his grades sufferedas a result. "I have my family close by and my friends," said Caracter, who has been ratedthe No. 1 sophomore in the country. "Everybody's not so gassed up here. Theytreat me like a normal person."
His arrival boosted an up-and-coming team to the top of everyone's rankings.Thomas opened many eyes after averaging 15 points as a freshman. Junior pointguard Lakiem Lockery and senior forward Mike Walker are solid contributors.Throw in St. Anthony's transfer Michael Johnson, a fleet-footed guard, and youhave the most talented lineup anyone has seen around these parts sinceBridgewater-Raritan West featured Eric Murdock and Lance Miller in the 1980s.
Still, there were chemistry concerns at the beginning. Caracter and Thomas hadgone to different middle schools. They had played together on traveling teamsbut, as Doherty says, "there might have been a little of `who's the big guy onthe block?'‚" That thought melted away when Doherty told Thomas who was coming to dinner. "I wanted to see his initial reaction, his face," Doherty recalled. "He kind ofnodded with a big grin and said, `We're going to be really good.'‚" That's Thomas for you.
The kid has the maturity of a 35-year-old, as Dohertywill tell you. His main goal amid all this hysteria: to earn the program'sfirst sectional title since 1960. Can't beat that for perspective. Thomas' game is mature as well. Hounding defenders of all sizes, handling theball like a guard and crashing the boards like a big man, he is a first-ratematchup nightmare. "He runs the court nonstop like an Energizer bunny," Caracter said. Mack Truck might be the more apt emblem for Caracter.
He swats away defenderslike flies. And his superior footwork allows him to avoid silly offensivefouls. Perhaps most impressive is his passing touch. He throws the balldowncourt to start the break with a quarterback's accuracy. Good luck guarding them, as St. Mary found out in its 79-58 loss. "That'd be real tough," Thomas said.
"Double team, that's going to leave one ofus open. A man would probably be the best thing to do. You just have to belucky and have somebody who's 6-10." Two guys, actually. Added Caracter: "Try to flop as much as possible
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