As a high school student-athlete at Indian Trail High School, Diego Carter always tried to make the most of every opportunity he got.
 
"I love the game of basketball with everything I have," said Carter. "When you love the game as much as I do, the best way to show it is to take advantage of every chance you get to play…no matter how small."
 
On Saturday, Carter, a senior shooting guard for the Northland College LumberJack Men's Basketball Program, will get a chance to show how he's made the most of his opportunity to play college basketball as he and the Northland College LumberJack Men's Basketball program will take on Carthage College in Carter's hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
 
"Without a doubt, Diego has made the utmost of the opportunity to play basketball at the college level," said LumberJack Head Coach Scott Sorenson. "To be honest, he wasn't really much on our radar to begin with, but wow, we are sure glad he chose to come to Northland."
 
An academic scholarship is what initiated Carter's interest in Northland, but communication with Sorenson towards the end of his senior year and throughout the summer is really what drew him to take an opportunity to play basketball at the next level.
 
"It was a bit of a culture shock to start," said Carter. "I grew up in a city, came from a big high school. And I think trying something so different can be really challenging for a lot of guys coming from my background. But honestly, it was the exact right move. Getting my education from a smaller school allowed me to make a bigger impact than I otherwise might have. It gave me a chance to really learn who I am and be a leader on campus, and eventually on the team."
 
As with most freshmen, it wasn't always smooth sailing from the start. Carter needed some time to grow and mature.
 
"At first, I was a pretty naïve freshman," he said. "I wanted everything just handed to me. I thought I could get playing time by just doing the bare minimum. Just coast through everything. It took about two years to realize the attitude I had wasn't going to work. I needed to go above and beyond, both on the court and in the classroom."
 
Once Carter came to that realization, others, including his coach, began to take notice.
 
"I think it was about midway through his sophomore year, just before winter break," said Sorenson. "We had a practice where things got physical. A few guys got a little chippy, as sometimes can happen when competing. Disagreements happen all the time, and I wasn't 100% sure which way we, including Diego, would go after that. When he came back after break, however, he was a different person. He was more focused. He was intent on staying integrated with the task at hand. I think that's the moment that he really began to mature and become the leader he is now."
 
His teammates over the past few years have seen it as well.
 
"It's been amazing to see Diego grow," said fellow four-year senior, and a Carter teammate for four years, Hunter Moe. "As a player and as a man, he's just kept getting better throughout our four years together. All of us are looking forward to seeing what he does this year."
 
Coming into his senior season, Carter has taken it upon himself to grab the reigns as a leader of the LumberJacks. From organizing preseason activities for his team, to spending time making a strong academic push to finish out his degree, Carter has left no question that he wants to see himself and his team succeed at highest level possible this season. That includes the season opener at Carthage.
 
"Going back home to play at Carthage is by far the most exciting trip for me personally in my four years at Northland," Carter stated. "I played AAU ball in their facilities growing up, and always wanted a chance to play there in front of my friends and family. I used to watch a friend of my dad's fill it up for Carthage as he holds their three-point record. Getting a chance to play in my hometown will truly be a surreal experience."
 
The LumberJacks hope to give Carter a special experience in his hometown as well. An experience that will show the Jacks will be among the most competitive teams in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference this season.
 
"We are really deep at each position," Carter said. "This is by far the most talented team we've had in my 4 years. On any given night, any one of us can just go off. Once our young guys get a little bit of experience and we put it all together, it should be one fun season!"
 
The LumberJacks open up the season on Saturday at Carthage. Tip-off is slated for 3:00pm

Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.