Sharks Eagerly Await Return Of Star Point Guard
More than a year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury, the Miami Dade College men’s basketball team is waiting for the full return of star point guard Abdias “Speedy” Carcamo.
Carcamo, who was limited to eight games last season, has been doing calf raises and rubber band assisted stretches to strengthen his left Achilles tendon.
He is expected to rejoin the team in the next couple of weeks.
“[Speedy] is getting ready to be back,” said Sharks assistant basketball coach Dillon “DJ” Jenkins. “We’re being very cautious with him in terms of workload.”
Carcamo, who has missed the team’s first four games this season, has been doing light workouts in practice, working on his form, ball handling and shooting.
“The hardest part has been getting back in shape,” Carcamo said. “You have to be in great shape [to play] defense.”
Carcamo first reported feeling pain in his left leg in October of 2021. He sat out 13 of the team’s first 14 games as the injury got progressively worse. Eventually, he played in seven games in the spring including a 28 point performance versus Hillsborough Community College on Jan. 12.
He averaged 14 points, 3.8 assists and had a 46.2 shooting percentage from the three-point line in eight games last season.
“He was our leader,” said sophomore shooting guard Matthew Khoury. “In those eight games, he helped us tremendously.”
To prepare for this season, Carcamo has concentrated on getting stronger, working out in the weight room several times a week and improving his conditioning by running one to two miles every day at the Kendall Campus track.
In his absence, the Sharks have used Will Ehlen at point guard. The freshman is averaging 3.8 points and three assists per game.
Freshman Dylan Edwards from Prince George’s County, Maryland and sophomore DJ Harrell from Cleveland, Ohio have also filled in at point guard. Edwards is averaging two points and 1.7 assists per game. Harrell, who has logged the majority of his minutes at shooting guard, is averaging 14.3 points per game.
But the team is built to run around Carcamo’s skill set. He provides leadership, crisp passing, and sharp shooting. The Brooklyn native has been playing basketball since he was four years old.
He attended Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York, averaging 12 points and six assists per game during his senior year.
They are banking on Caracmo’s return giving the team a boon in the win column.
The Sharks, who were 10-17 last year, lost four conference games by less than three points last year. They rejuvenated their roster with a plethora of new players including forwards Tyriek Weeks and Jamichael Stillwell and guard Mayoum Mayoum. Miami Dade College has implemented a 5-out motion offense, which thrives on spacing, three-point-shooting and positionless basketball.
“Everybody has good energy; we relate [to each other],” said Ibrahim Wattara, the sophomore forward from Togo, West Africa. “We are trying to get to the next level.”
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