Carlene Hightower remembers her freshman year, when she would sit on the Archbishop Prendergast bench, wondering why she was getting so little playing time. The athlete knew she had enough talent to break the Pandas’ lineup.
But just like most rookies, the 6-foot center, of 33rd and Reed streets, had to wait her turn.
Patience has its rewards.
Now a 17-year-old senior, Hightower has earned a Division I scholarship to La Salle University. The returning First Team All-Catholic selection also received interest from Saint Joseph’s University, the University of West Virginia and the University of Delaware, but said she felt most comfortable at La Salle.
"I wanted to stay home so my fans could watch me play, including my parents and brothers," said the athlete, who is leading the Pandas’ offense with 20 points, 12 rebounds and five steals a game. "I liked the coaching staff, the atmosphere and how they did things at practice."
La Salle also kept the best tabs on Hightower during last summer’s Amateur Athletic Union season; the coaching staff checked in with regular phone calls. When the athlete made her official visit to the campus at Broad and Olney in the fall, head coach John Miller welcomed her with a scholarship offer. Hightower didn’t waste any time committing to the program.
"I admire Carlene of sticking to her guns," Miller said. "We let Carlene know early that we were extremely interested in her and made a scholarship offer right away. I really admire her for saying that La Salle was here for her first."
She could’ve easily decided that Saint Joe’s was a better fit, especially since former Prendie teammate and good friend Christen Scanlon plays for the team. But Hightower is happy to have her choice out of the way so she can concentrate on other things.
"I think I made a good decision," noted the honor student. "Everything is fun now. I am helping our freshmen and teaching them some things they need to know."
Hightower also wants to focus on helping the Pandas compete for a Catholic League title. Since she is the team’s lone Division I recruit, she has the superstar-level pressure of an Allen Iverson.
The player turned in a peak performance Jan. 4, scoring 15 second-half points to help the Pandas overcome an early one-for-19 shooting slump in a 44-40 overtime win against Archbishop Ryan. Hightower finished the contest with a team-best 16 points, 11 rebounds and six steals.
"We will go as far as she carries us," Prendie coach Tom Stewart said. "We will win games based on what she does."
As much as Hightower is a team player, she continues to earn recognition as an individual athlete: She was named MVP of last month’s Phoenix Cactus Jam in Arizona. Prendie defeated teams from Oregon, Arizona and North Allegheny at the preseason tournament.
Hightower attributes her on-court skill to the two-on-two pickup games she used to play with her three older brothers. Whether it was 90 degrees or snowing, the athlete and her brothers played virtually every day. Even then, she believed the hard work would result in a successful high-school career and, eventually, a Division I scholarship.
"My brothers wanted it for me as much as I wanted it for myself," said Hightower.
The player also was a standout in the Catholic Youth Organization, where she helped the Our Lady of Angels squad capture the Region Six title. During her high-school offseasons, she stayed sharp by playing AAU basketball with the Philadelphia Belles and, more recently, with the Philly Rebels.
Now that she is heading to Division I, Hightower plans to practice even more in hopes of avoiding another freshman season on the bench. La Salle will lose forwards Kat Foley and Ekaterina Markova to graduation, which could create some minutes for the new recruit. Miller hasn’t ruled out the possibility of adding Hightower to next year’s rotation.
"She will have the opportunity to come in and compete for some playing time as a freshman," the coach said. "Right now I see her as a college [power forward] more than a college [small forward]. When she gets older and develops more perimeter skills, she could possibly turn into a college [small forward]."
No matter how many minutes Hightower plays, she will have plenty of supporters in the Tom Gola Arena stands.
But if history is any lesson, her fans won’t be disappointed.
"I am just going to do my best and I have to be focused more that I ever was in high school," Hightower said.
