Page One

Squeezing into the bleachers during warm-ups for an early-season St. Mary’s High boys basketball game, a reporter latches onto the fan nearest him and begins peppering him with some preliminary questions about the team. The fan is more than happy to oblige and, indeed, seems to know all the Panther ins and outs: This is the league opener for St. Mary’s, playing without their injured point guard DaShawn Freeman, a key to their Division IV state championship last year. Over there, that’s the head coach, his name is Jose Caraballo - and right there, that’s the player to watch: shooting guard John Sharper, who is shouldering an increased burden while Freeman recovers. He’s also a great student, and he’ll “probably go Ivy League” at the end of this, his senior year. 

From the opening tip, St. Mary’s proceeds to take the opponent completely apart - an 18-3 run kicks off what will become a 90-63 shellacking, and sure enough, John Sharper is in command. As the helpful fan narrates, Sharper (seemingly on cue now) demonstrates the many facets of his game: he calmly buries a 3-pointer from the top of the arc (”he’s got a great jumpshot”) then, seconds later, picks the opposing point guard’s pocket (”I told you - his defense is underrated”) and streaks the length of the floor to feed a velvety-soft bounce pass (”he’s unselfish”) to teammate Chase Moore for an easy bucket. 

Sharper is the story. Grateful for the fan’s help, the reporter introduces himself. 

“Pleased to meet you,” says the fan, “I’m John.” Grinning now: “John Sharper. Senior. Make sure you get that part about his defense - (the papers) always seem to miss that part.” 

Okay, duly noted. 

It is difficult to get to know Sharper, Junior, an only child, without first meeting Sharper Senior. Senior is ever-present as Junior’s number one fan (he never misses a game), lead publicist (see above), and, as evidenced later in the same game, head fashion advisor: Senior spent about one and a half quarters of that contest hollering at Junior to pull up his shorts, which Senior from time to time perceives as sagging too low, a potential hindrance to Junior’s play. While Junior’s crossover dribble did not seem encumbered (think lightning and you’re getting close), Senior could tell that something was amiss - and didn’t hesitate to let Junior know. Eventually, Junior got the message and hiked them up when Senior finally promised to come down on the floor and do the job himself if Junior didn’t. 

“We had a little talk about that after the game,” John Jr. said. “He reminds me every once in a while. He thinks they’re too low and they might slow me down - he’s got my best interest in mind.” 

And what’s on Junior’s mind? The biggest decision of his young life is looming: College - where? 

“That decision is going to have to wait until the playoffs are over,” Junior says simply. 

Amidst a dizzying flurry of names and places (he has received feelers and/or visits from Cal, USC, San Diego State, Florida State, Yale, Princeton and others) Sharper’s focus is right where a team leader’s thoughts should be: on the present, on nothing more than the next challenge. 

That challenge continues on Friday night. The Panthers, who have moved up to Division I this season, opened the North Coast Section playoffs with a 79-52 win against Antioch High, with Sharper scoring a game-high 26 points. St. Mary’s will host Bishop O’Dowd on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

Sharper has led by example all season. He took over the point with Freeman out early in the year, sublimating his scoring abilities to distribute the ball. Coach Caraballo is not surprised by Sharper’s composure. 

“A leader?” Caraballo laughs. “This year he has been the leader. He leads by example - he does it in the classroom, and he does it on the court. He’s just a fabulous young man.” 

Caraballo, who describes Sharper as “a coach on the floor” due to Sharper’s uncanny understanding of the game, isn’t pulling for one school or another in the pursuit of Sharper, who Caraballo believes will be an impact player wherever he ends up. 

“He’s going to be a steal,” Caraballo says. “An absolute steal. I am going to miss him tremendously.” 

Meanwhile, Junior remains focused on the task at hand and demure about commitments for the future. 

A young man who says he “doesn’t really have a girlfriend right now” but who is “spending time with a few different people” doesn’t change his tone of voice when discussing the huge decision regarding where he’ll be spending the next four years of his life. He loves Cal, but thinks that it is “maybe a little too close to home,” says that he “would love to stay on the West Coast,” but at the same time seems tantalized by the Ivy League. 

Caraballo isn’t pulling for one school or another in the pursuit of Sharper, just wanting him to “end up somewhere that will make him happy.” And neither is Senior, or at least so he says. 

“If he ends up on the East Coast, we’ll probably be spending a lot of money on planes and phone calls,” Senior says, “but I’d be okay with it. That’s the sort of thing that can change your life, and I’ll be tickled.” 

Already accepted academically to Cal, Sharper continues to weigh his options. A 3.4 GPA and an 1100 SAT score are solid numbers for any student, much less a basketball player. And when combined with other numbers like 18 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds per game, it just might all add up to an Ivy League caliber package. 

And if you need more convincing, just call John Sharper, Senior - he’ll be happy to provide you with the details.