David Caraher and Ian Steere grew up in North Carolina and played their high school basketball at Wesleyan Christian Academy. To say they just had success doesn’t give them enough credit.
Caraher was selected first-team all-state as a senior averaging 17 points and eight rebounds along with four assists while Steere starred alongside him. Together, the two finished as runner up in the NCISAA 3A State Championship while also playing together on the AAU team circuit with Team Charlotte.
For Caraher, the biggest influence on his athletic career is his father.
“He’s given me advice the whole way through and really been someone I’ve leaned on through this whole process,” he told the Torch.
Steere couldn’t narrow his biggest influence on a specific person, including everyone in his circle in his success..
“I’ve had a lot of people help me out throughout my career, my coaches, my parents, various people I met traveling. I have just had a lot of help and I’m very appreciative of that,” says Steere.
After high school, Caraher played his freshman year at Houston Baptist, where he won Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, while Steere played one game for NC State.
Now, both will suit up for the Red Storm this season.
The process of transferring wasn’t much of a difficult one once both found St. John’s as an option.
“It kind of just worked out that way that [Steere] decided to transfer from NC State and he was looking at some options and St. John’s became an option,” said Caraher. “[Steere] asked me what I thought and how being back together again would be. I’m really happy it worked out that way.”
Steere said that Caraher coming was a big factor in his decision to come to St. John’s but the decision came down to one simple factor: New York City..
“It’s the bright lights up here. You play in Madison Square Garden, all the lights are on you and all the attention is on you,” Steere said. “For some that pressure can be too much but for me I feel like it can motivate me to become the player I know I can be.”
Caraher attributed the bright lights of New York as being a factor in his decision to transfer to St. John’s. He thinks that the experience of being on the court for games at Madison Square Garden and at Carnasecca, and the energy from the crowd and fans will take the program to another level.
Caraher’s goals for this season are team-oriented. He plans on helping to provide a winning culture in any way that he can and to be reliable in whatever role coach Mike Anderson sees fit.
For Steere the goal this season is simple –– “just win.”
Whatever it takes was the motto coming off of the Red Storm players; they all seem to be echoing the mentality that they will all chip in and do what it takes to come out on top.
For both players, getting used to a new school and new team can be a challenge but when you mix in a new coach that wasn’t here last year, you can get chaos. Both Steere and Caraher weren’t afraid to face the challenges that are ahead with coach Mike Anderson.
“From day one [Anderson] came in and kind of gave us a family and wanted us to be a family,” Caraher says. “He wanted everyone to know how much he cared and how much he wants this program to increase and continue to be a national powerhouse.”
For Steere, the learning process under Anderson has been chaotic at times but not something he will shy away from.
“It’s been interesting. It’s not weird but a little chaotic at first because we were trying to figure him out and he was trying to figure us out, the situation was kind of wonky.”
After being through practices with Anderson, Steere was surprised at how hard they were being pushed. Steere said, after getting to know Anderson, that he is a great coach and the whole process is working out successfully.
Going into the season Steere and Caraher said that Red Storm fans can look forward to a high energy group that is loud and ready to win in any way possible. Caraher and Steere started their careers together playing winning basketball. Now, they will try to bring their winning to New York.
