In his first and only collegiate postgame interview, Sam Frayer wanted to say something that would be remembered.
Frayer, a walk-on who has scored one point this season, said Jason Carter, who’d just scored 16 points in his first 15 minutes in The Convo, would be a future Mid-American Conference Player of the Year.
When he heard the claim, coach Saul Phillips shook his head and said Frayer should worry about himself.
When Jaaron Simmons, Ohio’s best player, made the same claim three months later, Phillips sat upright and spoke sternly.
“Jaaron doesn’t throw compliments around very easily,” Phillips said after Ohio’s 79-76 loss to Toledo on Jan. 24. “You gotta earn his respect.”
Suddenly Frayer’s claim didn’t seem so outlandish.
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For only being a freshman, Carter’s been forced to mature quickly. A season ago he led Johnstown High School, averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds. Now at Ohio, he’s required to produce similar numbers just to replicate the statistics of the player he replaced in the lineup: Antonio Campbell.
When the season began, Phillips said Carter was a natural “four,” a power forward who would rotate with senior Kenny Kaminski for minutes.
But when Campbell, the reigning conference player of the year, broke his foot in his final game against Eastern Michigan on Jan. 14, Carter was thrust into the starting lineup two games later — as a center.
“My initial thought was, ‘crap,’ ” Carter said of Campbell’s injury. “Afterwards, coach was talking to us and said things happen and guys you just gotta step up.”
For Carter, who only averaged 5.5 points and 4 rebounds in just over 15 minutes with Campbell healthy, that meant replacing an irreplaceable role. Campbell averaged a team-leading 16.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game before his injury.
The effects of playing without him were instant. After starting conference play 3-0, the Bobcats yo-yoed between wins and losses, soon dropping to 6-5.
“I wasn’t in the flow of things,” Carter said. “I was just trying to get adjusted into the team. We had a pretty solid rotation going on and now I had a new role.”
Comfortability came rapidly, though.
At 6-foot-8 and 224 pounds, he’s light on his feet. Despite playing undersized against the opponent’s largest player, Carter found effectiveness in his ability to slip around defenders.
He’s often out-rebounded, which isn’t a surprise given his size disadvantage, but Carter has found loopholes to accelerate his progression into becoming one of Ohio’s best — and more importantly, most consistent — players.
Carter has started all but one game since Campbell was injured against EMU, averaging 14 points, 8.3 rebounds and 25.4 minutes per game during that 14-game span.
“Now, I’m confident in this role,” Carter said. “It’s just all clicking now.”
Part of that chemistry comes from Carter adjusting to the speed of the college game he’s still trying to learn; the other part comes from everyone improving around him.
With Campbell absent, Simmons inherited the role as the team’s on-court leader, opting to lead either from scoring himself or creating openings for teammates. Those openings have often led to Carter’s points accumulating.
Jordan Dartis, statistically one of Ohio’s best 3-point shooters in program history, is attempting more 3s. Gavin Block, the small forward, has attacked the rim with more venom and Kenny Kaminski has found more efficiency both inside and outside the post.
The Bobcats aren’t better without Campbell, but they’re learning to play well without him.
“Jason Carter cannot be a Tony Campbell,” Jeff Carter, Jason’s father, said. “He can’t be a Jaaron, a JD, a Kenny Kaminski or even a Gavin Block. He’s gotta be Jason and he’s got to play smart basketball.”
There have been off nights. Against Central Michigan on Feb. 7, Carter only had two points, which Phillips called a “freshman” performance.
But he assured Carter that’s OK. After all, he’s only a freshman.
“This whole process is going by way faster than I thought it would,” he said. “I’m enjoying. Dang, it feels like just yesterday I was getting on campus.”
