THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 31, 1995 TAG: 9512290328
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
IT'S NOT EASY for Warren Carroll to hear about the success of the Nansemond River boys basketball team.
Not that the 15-year-old doesn't like the Warriors. Carroll is friends with most of Nansemond River's players, lives within walking distance of several and plays pick-up basketball games with them at a court near their house.
As he put it, he ``love(s) Nansemond River'' and couldn't wait to play for them.
But Carroll and his parents decided last year that there is something more important than playing for a team with two Group AA state championships: his future.
For that reason, the Carrolls decided Nansemond-Suffolk Academy would be a better place for the young basketball phenom to attend school.
``I'm not putting down the public schools, but we thought (N-SA) had a better environment and academics,'' said Carroll's father, Robert. ``Athletics is another story, but Nansemond-Suffolk has more to offer. He takes a lot of college prep classes, so he'll be better prepared (for college). It's tough on him, but school is more important than basketball.''
The younger Carroll agreed with his father when he and his mom, who owns a cleaning business that has a contract to clean N-SA, asked him about attending the private school.
``I was a little nervous,'' said Warren, who in his first year at N-SA last season led the Saints junior varsity team with nearly 14 points per game. ``But I knew it could help me go to college, so I wanted to try it out. You just have to adjust to it.''
Carroll, a 6-foot-1 freshman, has had little trouble adjusting to the Saints basketball team. He was leading the team in scoring with 18.9 points per game and was shooting 60 percent from the field before the Saints played in the East/West Challenge Thursday.
``He's something special,'' N-SA coach Rick Van Orden said. ``Rarely do we have a player in the (Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools) play Division I basketball, but if he keeps improving he can pretty much do what he wants to when he's a senior.''
Carroll said his adjustment on the basketball court was nothing compared to the one he had to make to his new school. He is the only black student in grades nine through 12 at N-SA.
``Being the only black was pretty hard,'' Carroll said. ``At first, some of them looked at me like, `What are you doing here,' but I chose the right friends that are going to be my friend for who I am.
``It's not complete (acceptance) but I don't think it will ever be like that. I'm just going to school to get my education like they are.''
Nansemond-Suffolk's players have welcomed Carroll and have no problem with a freshman being their leader.
``He's as mature on the basketball court as anyone,'' said Sean Daugherty, a junior. ``We have senior captains, but he is the floor leader.''
Carroll's Nansemond River buddies also have become accustomed to their friend attending Nansemond-Suffolk.
``A lot of them come to N-SA games and we try to go to their games whenever we can,'' said Robert Carroll, whose other son, Robert Jr., played for the Nansemond River team that won a state championship in 1992.
``After the first (N-SA) game, they each told me not to let Warren go to Nansemond River because they thought he was having a good time. I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.''
Said Warren, ``Most of (the Nansemond River players) don't have a problem with it and tell me, `Stay wherever is best for you.' ''
Still, added Warren, he can't help but be a little envious of his friends at Nansemond River. ``I am a little jealous,'' he said. ``I think of it every night when I go home. It's rough.
``Another reason I wanted to go there was because I know they're going triple-A next year and I've always wanted to play triple-A ball.''
After playing as Group AA teams in the Bay River District since they opened their doors, Nansemond River and Lakeland have been reclassified as Group AAA schools by the Virginia High School League and will compete in the Southeastern District next year.
Although he won't be a part of Nansemond River's move to the big time, Warren said he has the same goal at Nansemond-Suffolk that he would as a Warrior.
``I want to try to win at least one state title before I leave,'' he said. ``Then I want to try to make all-state. I want the same feeling that Nansemond River players have.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy freshman Warren Carroll, left, attempts to
block a shot during a recent game in the East/West Challenge.
by CNB