By:Nicole Falco
We could show you the mail bag -- you wouldn-t even believe it, says her mother, Michelle Gay, the Valley Stream Central High School District-s director of special education.
The letters Carrem receives are from colleges and universities. Though she-s only a junior, some of the country's top collegiate women-s basketball programs, including Duke and the University of Tennessee, are already showing interest in her. One of her heroines, Chamique Holdsclaw, now a star in the Women's NBA, graduated from Tennessee -- and once played for Carrem-s high school team.
Carrem is one of the top 10 junior female basketball stars in the country, according to USA Today, and probably among the top 50 overall, seniors included. She-s a center forward for a team that the newspaper ranks No. 2 in the country.
Carrem, a Valley Stream resident, plays for Christ the King High School, a Catholic school in Middle Village, Queens. The Lady Royals won their 20th consecutive Diocesan Championship (Brooklyn-Queens), beating ArchBishop Molloy on March 7, 54-46. Their next opponent is St. Peter-s Catholic High School of Staten Island on March 21, a game that will determine the best team among parochial schools in the five boroughs. The winner will play the city's top public school on March 26, and that winner will move on to the state championship. Last year the Lady Royals finished second in the state.
Carrem is a major part of her team-s success. She-s definitely our go-to player, said her coach, Bob Mackey. She has been the leader pretty much throughout the year É She-s pretty much a foundation for other players throughout the year.
Carrem isn't a type A personality, according to her coach. Rather, she leads by example. A co-captain, she readily admits that while she-s confident on the court, she-s kind of shy off the court.
Her confidence and ability on the court, however, have helped Carrem record some impressive statistics and earn numerous trophies and accolades. She averages 16.5 points per game, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots.
And the most impressive stat of all may be the 98 average she maintains in the classroom. That just floors you, Mackey said.
Carrem, who stands 6 feet 3, began playing basketball in third grade for Holy Name of Mary School-s CYO team. I saw my sister [Mica] playing and I wanted to be like her, she recalled.
Carrem attended Forest Road Elementary School, then South High School in seventh and eighth grade. At South, she played for the Lady Falcons- JV team and spent half a season with the varsity.
When it came time for high school, Carrem chose Christ the King, which her idol, Holdsclaw, had attended. I saw how they helped her game, Carrem said. She went on to a big school for basketball. I wanted to see if they could do the same for me. Carrem is often compared to her idol, though she says they are different players. She does consider the comparison a compliment.
Carrem says she has definitely improved her game at Christ the King. She-s grown stronger, improved her jump shot and gotten better at posting up. She-d still like to improve her ball-handling skills. Her father, Carrel, said he-d like to see his daughter be a little more selfish on the court.
There-s times she has to take control, but she-ll pass it up to give the other players a chance. It drives her coaches crazy and it drives me crazy, her father said with a smile.
A typical day for Carrem begins at 6 a.m. She takes the LIRR into Queens, where she catches the Q54 bus to school. Her school day ends at 2:05 p.m., after which she prepares for a two-hour practice. The team practices six days a week during the season, from December to March.
When she-s not playing for Christ the King, Carrem participates in a summer league and plays in tournaments throughout the country and around the world. Last year she was chosen to play for Nike-s USA Select Team in France, going up against teams from Russia, France and Czechoslovakia.
This year Carrem was one of 48 girls invited to participate in USA Basketball-s Olympic Festival in Colorado. There she-ll have the opportunity to try out for the women-s junior national team.
That-s just the beginning, said Mackey. I think she is going to be one of the highest recognized players in the country by the time she-s done.
Carrem is already a star in her family, according to her parents. Her potential is endless, Michelle says. She can go as far as she wants to based on who she is as a player and her intelligence.
Carrem clearly loves the game, and would consider playing in the WNBA -- maybe for the Washington Mystics alongside Holdsclaw. She says she loves the sport because of the confidence I get from it and all the people I get to meet. It-s taken me so far.
