Rams, Carter are ready for home debut

By: By John Dell | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: November 20, 2009

Shelton Carter plans to look around during Winston-Salem State's home opener at the Gaines Center tonight and breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm finally going to be out on the court again," said Carter, a versatile small forward for the Rams.

The Rams (0-3) will play Division II Atlanta Christian (4-2) at 7 p.m.

Carter, who played at Greensboro Page, had to sit out last season after transferring from Charleston Southern. He often sat behind the bench during games but admits that it was tough to watch because he wanted to play.

He has three games under his belt this season, after playing in the Basketball Travelers' Invitational at Oregon last weekend, but he's looking forward to playing in front of the home fans for the first time. Carter (6-5, 185) is a slashing type of player who isn't afraid to drive but can also shoot the 3-pointer.

He led the Rams in scoring in all three games in Oregon and had 19 points a 99-79 loss to California Davis on Sunday.

"Shelton's played at that level before, so he wasn't star-struck at all when we were in Oregon," Coach Bobby Collins of WSSU said. "I thought that he played well and competed. I just want him to be a little more assertive with his scoring."

Carter spent two seasons at Charleston Southern and made the All-Big South all-freshman team in 2006-07. But Carter decided to leave for a "fresh start" and landed at WSSU because of some personal connections. Carter's older brother, Norman, played his final season at WSSU under Collins, and assistant Murray Garvin, hired at WSSU before last season, was an assistant at Charleston Southern when Carter was there.

"What really helped me was Coach Garvin came here as an assistant, and I wanted to transfer so I came here because I wanted somebody I knew and trusted," Carter said.

As for his decision to leave Charleston Southern, Carter said: "Some things got promised and they didn't work out. I needed a fresh start."

Carter says he can't wait for the atmosphere of the Gaines Center, where he once watched his older brother play. Now it's the older brother's turn to watch. "Yeah, I talked to Norman." Sheldon said, "and he's going to be there."

Carter says that the Rams can have a good season.

"Our expectations are big," he said. "That's been the talk around campus and with us getting back from Oregon, everybody has been asking us about the home game (today). So we have some big expectations."

Notes: Shooting guard Dominic Alston of WSSU, a junior-college transfer, is probably out for the rest of the season after breaking a bone in a foot at the tournament in Oregon…. Forward Ignas Palama, a 6-11 freshman from Lithuania who played at Asheville Christian School, will most likely redshirt this season, Collins said…. Through three games, the Rams are shooting 32 percent from the field and allowing opponents to shoot 48 percent…. After tonight, WSSU's next game will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday, against Wake Forest at Joel Coliseum.

jdell@wsjournal.com.

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