March 7, 2008
Many incoming freshmen feel that they should be in the starting lineup upon arriving on campus. However, Garrison Carr of American University showed that patience and learning how to strengthen his game are instrumental toward playing time. That education is paying off for the Eagles and head coach Jeff Jones during the 2007-08 campaign.
A member of Patriot League Academic Honor Roll a year ago, Carr erupted like a volcano this season by registering double-digit scoring outputs in each of his first nine games. Prior to this season, the chiseled-bodied shooting guard came off the bench in each of his 54 appearances, and had scored in double figures on just six occasions.
Carr found his way to the Nation's Capital after being recruited by a number of mid-major colleges throughout the country. But, at first, the 5-11 shooting guard was not the initial recruiting target for the Eagles. His former AU teammate Brayden Billbe, who played at nearby Mercer Island High School, had sent in his tapes to the AU coaches, who saw something special in the guard from Issaquah High. Billbe, who graduated a year ago, earned Patriot League Academic Honor Roll accolades in each of his final three seasons.
"I wanted to commit before my senior season, and many schools wanted me to wait until the end of the season. American offered the opportunity prior to the season. I also had family ties to the area, and the academics American offered made it easy to make the decision."
When the marketing major enrolled at AU, Carr had the likes of all-Patriot League guard Andre Ingram, along with Linas Lekavicius and Arvydas Eitutavicius, ahead of him. He watched, learned and tried to gain experience in his reserve role.
"In my first two years, I was fully aware of the number of the guards ahead of me. Coach Jones told me it would be a learning experience early in my career. My role was to bring energy off the bench."
"From the day he stepped on campus, we knew he could shoot the basketball. It was the other parts of his game that needed work, " said Jeff Jones, the eighth-year head coach at American. "Ultimately, he looked at this year as his chance. "He has developed into a much better defender. Because of his more complete game, we can keep him in longer and run plays specifically for him.
"I do not think that any of us (American coaching staff) thought he would be scoring at this rate. If he had not done his homework this summer, this would not be happening. He had a very productive summer."
This year, he told me that I would have a much larger role and it was my job to be prepared to play. Over the summer, worked hard ... this was my chance."
Now, after two years of learning from a reserve role, Garrison Carr is causing troubles throughout the Patriot League with his improved play.
