The Final Four of the 2005 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will be held in St. Louis during the first weekend of April at the Edward Jones Dome.
Through the history of the Final Four, basketball players from St. Louis have played key roles in helping their respective teams reach the apex of college basketball. During the month of March, the St. Louis American will take a look back at some of the talented area players who fortunate enough to compete in college basketball’s greatest spectacle.
This week, the American features former Cardinal Ritter College Prep teamamtes Chris Carrawell and Loren Woods.
Chris Carrawell and Loren Woods were a dynamic combination for Cardinal Ritter from 1993-96. Together, the two All-Americans led the Lions to consecutive state titles in 1995 and ’96 and a national ranking in several high school polls.
The 6’6″ Carrawell was a smooth all-around performer who could score, rebound, handle the ball and guard anybody at any position. The 7’1″ Woods was arguably the most intimidating shot blocker in the history of St. Louis-area prep basketball. He was the Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American in 1996.
As fate would have it, both players would cast their lot with the Atlantic Coast Conference, but with different schools. Carrawell signed with Duke while Woods headed to Wake Forest. For two years, the two best friends were Tobacco Road rivals in the rugged ACC. Carrawell became a starter midway through his freshman year at Duke and never left the lineup. Woods played two years at Wake Forest before transferring to Arizona. Both were on the All-ACC Freshman Team in 1997.
Carrawell was the first of the duo to experience the Final Four in 1999 with a loaded Duke team that included future NBA players Elton Brand, Trajan Langdon, Shane Battier, William Avery and Corey Maggette. Carrawell averaged 10 points, five rebounds while becoming the Blue Devils’ defensive stopper.
Carrawell had 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in Duke’s 85-64 victory over Temple in the NCAA East Regional Final at East Rutherford, N.J. The victory moved the heavily favored Blue Devils into the Final Four in St. Petersburg, Fla. In the national semifinals against Michigan State, Carrawell had 13 points in Duke’s 68-62 victory over the Spartans. He had nine points, four rebounds and two assists in the championship game as Connecticut shocked the Blue Devils 77-73 to win the national title.
Graduation and several early departures to the NBA rocked Duke after the season, but Carrawell returned as a senior to become the ACC Player of the Year and a First Team All-American performer.
In 2001, Woods helped lead the Arizona Wildcats to the Final Four in Minneapolis. After a bout with Desert Fever, which cut short his All-American season along with Arizona’s Final Four hopes in 2000, Woods slowly returned to form in 2001. He paved the way to the Final Four with 18 points, five rebounds and seven blocks against No. 1 seed Illinois in the regional finals in San Antonio.
In the national semifinals against Michigan State, Woods had 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in an 80-61 victory. The “L-Train” enjoyed his finest game in the national championship game against Duke when he had 22 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in Arizona’s 82-72 loss. His four blocks still remain a NCAA championship game record.
Carrawell was drafted in the second round by the San Antonio Spurs in 2000. He is currently playing professional ball overseas. Woods was drafted in the second round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2001. He is currently playing with the Toronto Raptors.
