MAC Men’s Basketball Top Player Countdown: #14 Jason Carter

The 6’8 forward from Johnstown was muddling his way through his freshman season in Athens. He showed a few flashes of brilliance, like when he scored 17 against Tennessee Tech. Most people paying attention expected big things from the guy that was good enough to earn first team All-Ohio in high school. They just weren’t expecting them his freshman year.

Then Antonio Campbell got hurt.

Stat lines like 14 points and 11 rebounds, 17 and 12, and 21 and 5 soon followed. He and Jaaron Simmons really stepped up. His play was good enough to earn him a spot on the All-Freshman team.

Simmons has transferred, and Ohio will need to lean on Carter even more than last season.

I fully expect him to handle the challenge, just like he did with the Campbell injury. He is a rangy player that possesses an impressive skill set for a player his size. The versatile big man has shown an ability to do what is needed, when it’s needed.

Because he is still a little raw, I am not ready to crown him a MAC Player of the Year candidate. However, I wouldn’t be completely surprised if he exceeds my expectations yet again, and does exactly that.

The MAC East is a complete crap shoot this season and Carter’s play this season will have as big of an impact as any other player in the East. I put him at 14 on this list because I can almost guarantee he has a third team All-MAC type of season. With the way the season is shaping up, he has a solid chance of making first or second team. By his junior year, under the tutelage of Saul Phillips, I am almost guaranteeing a first team All-MAC player.