Carter worth the wait for First State

Jawan Carter likes playing in the state of Delaware.

Although he is from Chester, Pa., the guard attended the Tatnall School in Greenville, Del., where he made a name for himself in the First State. Carter was named the 2006 Delaware State Player of the Year and is the state’s all-time leading scorer with 2,464 points.

So it’s no surprise that after “not fully enjoying [himself]” in his freshman season at Saint Joseph’s, Carter decided to transfer to Delaware and return to the state in which he first made his basketball mark.

And he has not disappointed. Last season — his sophomore redshirt season and first on the court with the Blue Hens — his 15 points per game was second on the team and sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association.

Despite sitting out all of 2007-08 due to NCAA transfer regulations, Carter noted that there were some perks to spending a season on the sidelines.

“I had courtside seats,” he said.

Carter’s performance on the court has shown that he was well worth the wait. On top of his prolific shooting ability from the field (40.1 field goal percentage and 33.2 three-point percentage in 2008-09), Carter made it clear to opponents that putting him on the foul line is dangerous: His 77.8 free throw percentage was eighth in the CAA.

And so far into his second season in Newark, Del., he has shown no signs of a “sophomore” slump. In the Blue Hens’ first two games, both losses, Carter averaged 17 points.

While he has found incredible individual success since he made the move, his team hasn’t fared so well.

“Things have worked out for me,” he said of his time with the Blue Hens. “I wish we could get more wins — I think that will come with time.”

After being picked fifth in the CAA preseason poll entering the 2008-09 season, the Blue Hens failed to meet expectations, finishing ninth with a 6-12 record in conference play and 13-19 overall.

“Last year was a tough year because we had a lot of talent … and we didn’t achieve much of anything,” Carter said.

Even with an improved Carter at the helm, Delaware has continued to struggle, opening with a 20-point loss to Temple and a 16-point loss to Bucknell.

“This year we’ve been off to a very rocky start,” said Carter, the team’s leading scorer by 7.5 points per game. “We still haven’t really found an identity for ourselves, but we’re gonna keep plugging away.”

Although his team has struggled against Pennsylvania team’s this season, Carter is still confident that Delaware is a better place to play.

“It took me a while to really get comfortable,” Carter said, “but everything happens for a reason, and I’m happy with my decision.”

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