by Alex Schwartz

The #13 ranked player in Northstar Basketball's list of New Jersey's Fab 45 Upperclassmen took his name off the board Tuesday afternoon. The news that 6'1 point guard Eli Carter '10 of St. Anthony's (NJ) would be selecting the Bonnies was broken by Northstar Basketball, via our Twitter page. Carter shined this summer running with Sports University on the AAU circuit, showing an uncanny ability to run the point and also put the ball in the cup.

"I was very comfortable with the coaching staff and they recruited me the beginning and they recruited me the hardest," stated Carter when I asked him how he decided on the Atlantic-10 school. What type of player are the Bonnies getting with this commitment? "They are getting a good guard that can score and distribute the ball. I can also control a game, but I'm going to go there and work as hard as I can and know that I'm going to be pushed to my max by the whole coaching staff, so I'm looking forward to it," said the baller himself.

Although it was believed that Carter was going to choose between SBU, Robert Morris, and La Salle, a source with knowledge of the situation indicated to me that the Explorers did not offer the Garden State standout a scholarship. Thus, it makes sense that Eli told me "it came down to St. Bonaventure and Robert Morris." Was there one thing that made Mark Schmidt and Co. get the nod over the Colonials? "Yes, it was the amount of alumni [that SBU has] in the NY/NJ area [so that] when I graduate college I can get a good job in that area."

For a while it seemed as though Carter and St. Anthony's/Sports University teammate Derrick Williams '10 would be attending the same college, with Richmond as the favorite, but that is not going to happen. While Williams did commit to the Spiders last Monday, Eli knocked the A-10 school off his list when Cedrick Lindsay '10 committed there and is now headed to SBU. What will it be like to play against Williams at the next level as he suits up for a conference foe? "It will be interesting because Derrick and I are like brothers, so it will be a very fun game to be involved with."

Before the duo head to college, they have some unfinished business to take care of at St. Anthony's, arguably the most storied program in high school basketball. Asked what the Friars are capable of accomplishing in 2009-2010, Carter replied, "We are going all out this year and I think we are capable of being TOC [NJSIAA Tournament of Champions] champs." The squad did not get a chance to take on St. Patrick's (NJ) last season, so I inquired of Eli how badly he wants to face the Celtics his senior year. "[They have] been St. Anthony's rival team for a long time, so I just want to experience playing in that game and I would love to play them this year."

Carter, who also garnered interest from schools such as Rider, Manhattan, Rutgers, and Boston University, is the first commit for St. Bonaventure in the class of 2010. He is a great get for the Bonnies and should get some quality playing time early on in his career.

A recent commitment that flew well under the radar was that of Joe Sharkey '11 from Northfield Mt. Hermon (MA) to Brown. The 6'2 guard popped to the Bears within the past couple of weeks, according to two independent source with knowledge of the situation. Both sources believe that high school junior is the youngest player to ever commit to an Ivy League. Most Ivy League commitments come once a player is at least a month or two into his senior year, but Sharkey has just begun his junior year. Joe is a nice pickup for Jesse Agel and Co., and he has made history through his pledge.

Note- photo is from http://www.15andunderbasketball.com/