Justin McCarthur didn’t need much time to sort things out.
Maybe a month tops, if that.
So when Bishop McDevitt’s talented 6-0 senior combo guard was offered an opportunity to continue his promising basketball career at Shippensburg University — let’s just say the athletic scholarship in play is substantial — the soft-spoken McCarthur could not say no to fast-acting Red Raiders skipper Chris Fite.
Even though Ship didn’t really get in on McCarthur until Feb. 4 — and Fite didn’t see him play in person until several days later.
McCarthur verballed on Monday.
“It feels good,” McCarthur said following Tuesday night’s practice. “[Fite] believes in me. He believes he can turn the program around.
“And I’m excited to come in and help him do it. … I’m excited, I’m ready to go.”
Sold.
Plus, Shippensburg isn’t all that far from suburban Harrisburg.
“[Proximity] wasn’t much of a factor,” McCarthur admitted.
“It’s still good to be pretty close to home.”
Still sold.
While McCarthur wound up choosing Shippensburg, he also was seriously considering offers from Bloomsburg, Mansfield and East Stroudsburg before deciding to align with a Red Raiders program that last season was 3-23.
So Fite’s program needs some help.
Although Ship didn’t come see McCarthur play until Feb. 4 at Steel-High — an assistant coach watched that night, then strongly suggested Fite take a look two nights later — McDevitt coach Jeff Hoke said the Red Raiders liked the fact that McCarthur possessed the handle and perimeter skills to play both guard spots AND defend anyone on the floor.
When Fite’s first in-person glimpse came at Susquehanna Twp. — when McCarthur finished with three points and didn’t score from the floor — Hoke said the former IUP assistant wasn’t dismayed or disappointed at all.
In fact, Hoke said McCarthur’s unwavering on-court demeanor despite his struggles putting the ball in the basket just made Fite even more determined to get him.
Fite may have been sold, but he still needed to sell McCarthur.
Two weeks later, McCarthur was sitting in the Heiges Field House stands with Hoke watching the Red Raiders play Mansfield. A chance to meet Ship’s personnel and a tour of the campus came shortly after a game the Red Raiders lost 80-77.
“I felt really comfortable,” said McCarthur, a good student who is leaning toward a major in criminal justice. “I could see myself playing there.
“I liked the players and the coach showed me around after the game, took me to all of the facilities. I liked everything about it.”
Roughly two weeks later, Shippensburg landed a verbal commitment from a talented player who is averaging 16.6 points per game for a 26-2 McDevitt club that will open the PIAA Class AAA playoffs Friday in suburban Wilkes-Barre.
McCarthur, who pocketed his 1,000th career point earlier this season, also has bagged a team-high 58 3-point goals for a McDevitt club that claimed its first Mid-Penn Conference tournament title and finished third in the 3-AAA playoffs.
CLICK HERE TO SEE VIDEO OF JUSTIN MCCARTHUR BAGGING CAREER POINT NO. 1,000
McCarthur also received a first-team Mid-Penn Keystone Division all-star nod several weeks back, after helping McDevitt win its first Keystone crown.
Nearly a year ago, following a splendid junior campaign, McCarthur was one of 15 players to land on PennLive’s all-star contingent.
“I think he will be an all-PSAC player,” Hoke said. “He’s got the on-court demeanor. He’s physically ready to play there right now and he has the will. He’s a gym rat. He’ll get in there and I think Justin will get better and better once he gets to college.
“For him, I think it’s a perfect fit.”
And while McCarthur may have found a perfect fit not all that far away from home — in a relatively brief period of time by most recruiting standards — he’s also finalized his college destination early enough so he can just concentrate on playing ball.
“I feel more at peace knowing where I’m going,” said McCarthur, who transferred to McDevitt following two years at Susquehanna Twp. “Now I can focus on who we play.
"I’m really at peace.”
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