[BearcatAlum1]

February 19, 2010:

Gary Harris couldn't ask for a better situation. The talented 6-4 Hamilton Southeastern sophomore has played two seasons on teams loaded with upperclassmen, allowing him to grow into his role without having overwhelming responsibility.

"He's one that just keeps getting better and better," Hamilton Southeastern coach Brian Satterfield said after Harris scored 24 points in a 66-57 win over Pike on Tuesday. "He's young but understands the game. He has good teammates around him and he's unselfish, like all the guys on our team. We feel like our five guys on the floor are capable of scoring or breaking down a defense."





Harris is the only non-senior in a starting lineup that also includes Zach Starr, Tyler Wheeler, Will Kleinrichert and Dzenan Mrkaljevic. Harris is the leading scorer (14.7 ppg), but Starr averages 12.1 and the other three contribute between six and seven points a game.

It has been a winning formula for the Royals, who captured their first sectional last season and are 15-3 this year.

"You always know there's going to be somebody on a given night who is going to step up when the game is on the line," Harris said. "One day it might be Zach, one day it might be Dzenan or Will or Tyler or one of the guys off the bench."

That's not to say Harris doesn't stand out. He said he recently picked up a scholarship offer from Illinois, adding to a list that includes IUPUI and Xavier.

Other schools are also interested in Harris, including Vanderbilt. He plans to make an unofficial visit there Saturday for a game against Kentucky.

"We're going down to campus to visit and see what it's like," Harris said. "We'll see what the atmosphere is like against Kentucky."

He said Michigan also has shown "quite a bit" of recent interest.

"I'm just trying to take it all in right now," Harris said. "You only get one shot for this, so I'm trying to make it last and make sure it's the right decision for me."

http://www.indystar.com/article/2010...arris-develops