Canyon Springs guard Carr looks to rebuild reputation

At this time a year ago, Shaquile Carr was regarded as one of the hottest prospects in the West.

Now, the 6-foot-1-inch point guard at Canyon Springs High is trying to prove himself all over again to college coaches.

Carr spent the final half of his junior season with the Pioneers in street clothes after being ruled academically ineligible in mid-January. As a result, his recruiting stock tumbled, and he has done his best this spring and summer to rebuild his reputation while playing with the Las Vegas Prospects 17s.

"It actually was a positive lesson for me because I know what I have to do next year," Carr said. "It just made me grind harder, made me work hard. It made me want to do a lot of things, show coaches that I can actually play ball, run my team and bring my grades up, too."

Carr was a consensus top-100 player in the class of 2014 after impressing with the Prospects 16s last year and was hearing from a bevy of colleges, including UNLV. But he was forced to watch from the stands as Canyon Springs made a surprising run to the Division I Sunrise Region championship without him.

The Pioneers then gave Centennial all it could handle in the Division I state semifinal before falling 84-72 in overtime at Orleans Arena.

"It was really hard for me," Carr said. "Even though they went pretty far, I feel like I could have helped them win that last game to go to the state (final). It hurt me pretty bad watching them lose and for me not to play."

Carr conceded there was a carry-over effect from the disappointment of sitting out, and he didn't play well during the spring. But Prospects coach Anthony Brown said Carr has picked up his play over the last two months.

"That definitely jump-started him," Brown said of Carr's setback in the classroom. "I don't think anything got his attention like that before. ... He has to work. He realizes that now."

Carr was quiet Wednesday in a 73-62 loss to the Wisconsin Swing 17s during the Las Vegas Fab 48 Tip-Off Challenge at Bishop Gorman. He scored three points on 1-for-3 shooting, rarely showing off the quick first step he is known for, and added three assists to go along with six turnovers.

"I was mainly focused on running my team, not really worrying about scoring," Carr said.

Carr recently received a scholarship offer from Loyola Marymount and said he is still hearing from UNLV after it offered last year, although it is not certain whether the Rebels will sign a point guard for the 2014-15 season after loading up on the position during the most recent signing period.

Carr, who is ranked No. 124 nationally by Rivals.com, said he is also drawing interest from Arizona, Colorado, Florida State, Houston, Marquette, Memphis and Southern California along with several other schools.

"He's definitely wide open," Brown said. "I think he can play in the Mountain West, certain schools in the Pac-12 and definitely the West Coast Conference."

Carr is in no rush to make an oral commitment and likely will not sign a letter of intent until the April signing period. Instead, he is focused using his senior season at Canyon Springs to impress recruiters.

"I just have to come back for the next season and be positive," Carr said. "That's going to be my chance to show everybody I can keep my grades up. That's my main focus. I'm not really worried about the basketball part."