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Warriors duo inks letters
  
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By MIKE TAYLOR
From a small school comes big game.
The Woodlands Christian Academy’s two basketball stars, Joe Carr and Derek Johnson, signed national letters of intent Wednesday, signaling their commitments to compete at the highest level of collegiate athletics beginning next year.
Carr, a 6-foot-2 point guard, signed with Virginia Military Institute, while Johnson, a 6-7 forward, signed with the University of Evansville. Both seniors were given full scholarships to the NCAA Division I schools. VMI, located in Lexington, Va., is part of the Big South Conference and Evansville (Evansville, Ind.) competes in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Both players said they have some things to work on before they step on the floor with their future teammates.
“My first inclination is getting in shape big-time because the way they play is just so fast, they score 100 points a game,” Carr said. “I’ve never been in that good of shape so maybe I can just start running lines or something.”
One of Johnson’s main individual goals this year will be to improve his ball handling.
“I’m about to play college ball, but I’ve still got a long way to go,” he said.
Johnson averaged 18 points and eight rebounds a game last year after missing the first part of the season with an injury.
“I love playing with Joe,” Johnson said. “We’ve been playing together since seventh grade. We know each other really well. He doesn’t even have to look at me and he knows where I’ll be on the court. We have really good chemistry. He’s a great player.”
Carr averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists a game last year.
“I think (our chemistry has) always improved as we’ve improved as individuals,” Carr said. “We have the potential of this being the best season that we’ve ever had. He always knows what I’m doing on the floor and I always know where he is on the court. It’s really kind of like a — I’m not going to say dynamic duo thing — but it helps our team.”
Carr narrowed his college choices to Lamar University, the United States Air Force Academy and VMI.
“(VMI) was the first team that offered me so it gave them a little heads up over everybody else,” Carr said. “And also, that was the first place I visited. I loved the campus and I loved their playing style, it’s real up-tempo. That’s how I play.”
Johnson’s trio of choices came down to Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Colorado and Evansville.
“The coaches and players at Evansville have a really good relationship,” Johnson said. “All the players do everything together. They hang out together and it’s a really good relationship.”
Both players’ parents were on hand Wednesday in the school’s gym to finalize their sons’ decisions. The student body applauded and flashbulbs popped throughout the 30-minute ceremony.
Johnson’s father, Darrel, is the head coach at The Woodlands Christian.
“I think very few really realize how difficult it is,” Darrel Johnson said. “They’ve really sacrificed and paid a huge price to get there and this has been their dream for a long time.”
The Warriors finished last year with a 27-2 record and won the Texas Association of Private and Parochial School’s 3A state championship for the first time in program history.
The Woodlands Christian Academy’s two basketball stars, Joe Carr and Derek Johnson, signed national letters of intent Wednesday, signaling their commitments to compete at the highest level of collegiate athletics beginning next year.
Carr, a 6-foot-2 point guard, signed with Virginia Military Institute, while Johnson, a 6-7 forward, signed with the University of Evansville. Both seniors were given full scholarships to the NCAA Division I schools. VMI, located in Lexington, Va., is part of the Big South Conference and Evansville (Evansville, Ind.) competes in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Both players said they have some things to work on before they step on the floor with their future teammates.
“My first inclination is getting in shape big-time because the way they play is just so fast, they score 100 points a game,” Carr said. “I’ve never been in that good of shape so maybe I can just start running lines or something.”
One of Johnson’s main individual goals this year will be to improve his ball handling.
“I’m about to play college ball, but I’ve still got a long way to go,” he said.
Johnson averaged 18 points and eight rebounds a game last year after missing the first part of the season with an injury.
“I love playing with Joe,” Johnson said. “We’ve been playing together since seventh grade. We know each other really well. He doesn’t even have to look at me and he knows where I’ll be on the court. We have really good chemistry. He’s a great player.”
Carr averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists a game last year.
“I think (our chemistry has) always improved as we’ve improved as individuals,” Carr said. “We have the potential of this being the best season that we’ve ever had. He always knows what I’m doing on the floor and I always know where he is on the court. It’s really kind of like a — I’m not going to say dynamic duo thing — but it helps our team.”
Carr narrowed his college choices to Lamar University, the United States Air Force Academy and VMI.
“(VMI) was the first team that offered me so it gave them a little heads up over everybody else,” Carr said. “And also, that was the first place I visited. I loved the campus and I loved their playing style, it’s real up-tempo. That’s how I play.”
Johnson’s trio of choices came down to Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Colorado and Evansville.
“The coaches and players at Evansville have a really good relationship,” Johnson said. “All the players do everything together. They hang out together and it’s a really good relationship.”
Both players’ parents were on hand Wednesday in the school’s gym to finalize their sons’ decisions. The student body applauded and flashbulbs popped throughout the 30-minute ceremony.
Johnson’s father, Darrel, is the head coach at The Woodlands Christian.
“I think very few really realize how difficult it is,” Darrel Johnson said. “They’ve really sacrificed and paid a huge price to get there and this has been their dream for a long time.”
The Warriors finished last year with a 27-2 record and won the Texas Association of Private and Parochial School’s 3A state championship for the first time in program history.
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