USC target would play for Frank Martin ‘if he gave me the opportunity’

His first dunk sent the Cardinal Newman student section into a frenzy. His second slam warranted his name to be echoed off the gym’s walls.

“Chi-co Car-ter,” they chanted between claps. “Chi-co Car-ter.”

Chico Carter Jr. is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound point guard who spent his first two seasons being a distributor for coach Philip Deter’s program. The Cardinals rode a balanced attack to a state championship appearance in 2016-17.

A year later, and Carter Jr. doesn’t have Christiaan Jones (Stetson), Wynston Andrews (Newberry) or Brandon Martin (St. Thomas Moore prep school) by his side. When he dunked on back-to-back possessions Tuesday night against Richland Northeast, Carter Jr. was showing off his advanced role.

“Athletically, he wasn’t quite there last year to do all that,” Deter said after Cardinal Newman’s 86-42 win. “Now, you’re seeing 6-2 and he can all of a sudden jump at 180 or whatever he is. To add that to the repertoire, to be able to change the game, especially when it’s loud as all get out in here, it’s impressive.

“Obviously, there’s a couple schools that have already taken pretty good notice. But I would imagine there’s more to come.”

Carter Jr., rated by Phenom Hoop Report as the state’s No. 21 player in the 2019 class, has scholarship offers from Hampton, Youngstown State and High Point. There’s also interest from the likes of VCU, UMass, College of Charleston and South Carolina.

The Gamecocks are still waiting for their first pledge in the ’18 and ’19 classes.

Carter Jr. would be happy to fill at least one of those voids.

“Frank Martin is recruiting me,” Carter Jr. said. “He’s a good guy, he’s a good coach and I like their program. I’ve been on campus a couple times. I took a visit and stuff like that.

“But Frank Martin’s a good coach, and I would play for him if he gave me the opportunity.”

Carter Jr. is averaging 22.6 points, 4.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game for the Cardinals (12-2).

His recruiting trips to USC have been of the unofficial variety, including a September visit he shared with top 2018 prospect Zion Williamson.

“It’s close to home, my family can come see me play, the atmosphere is crazy,” Carter Jr. said. “I’ve been to a couple games. I like their atmosphere. Good facilities, good coaching staff, everything. It’s the whole nine.”

Deter, a Ben Lippen grad, was a team manager for the Gamecocks under Darrin Horn. He’s also coached Brandon Martin, Frank’s son.

“All of those schools,” Deter said, “a lot of them are just figuring out, in this class that is so deep with guards, what do you need and what type of point guard do you want? Because there’s about every single one of them in this class.”

The Palmetto State’s junior class includes four prospects ranked nationally among 247Sports’ top 100, including Lower Richland’s Christian Brown.

“In my young career,” Deter said, “it’s about as good as I’ve seen it.”

Hartsville’s Trae Hannibal, the state’s eighth best player in the ’19 class, according to Phenom Hoop Report, is another point guard the Gamecocks have targeted.

Cardinal Newman takes on Hartsville on Jan. 15 as part of the MLK Bash at Eau Claire.

“We actually text and stuff,” Carter Jr. said of Hannibal. “I’ve seen his dunk videos. He’s a good player. I’ve just got to step up to the plate and deliver.”

But Carter Jr., as he flashed Tuesday, can meet the rim, too.

“He’s one of those guys who knows the game,” Deter said. “Obviously, he’s still working. He works hard at it, he’s gotten in the weight room, and that’s really helped his game, finishing around the rim. And he’s only going to get better.

“He can run the point from the point guard standpoint, as far as knowing every play, knowing every position. He’s got the post game if he needs to. And, oh by the way, he’s still a pass-first point guard.”

With an eye on the Gamecocks.

“They were just telling me I’m a good player,” Carter Jr. said. “They can see me at South Carolina, and I just need to keep working.”

This story was originally published January 4, 2018 at 8:46 AM.