Joe Dexter
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2015-16 Men’s Basketball Player Preview: A.J. Harris
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State men’s basketball season is right around the corner. The upstart Buckeyes will take on Walsh in exhibition play on November 8th. To help get you ready for tip-off, The Buckeye Battle Cry will be bringing you Player Previews leading up to the beginning of the season. Today, we start with the freshman class.
There might not be a ton of expectations on the Ohio State Buckeyes this season, but that my no means is a measure of the incoming freshman class for Ohio State. One of the handful of names that could have a major impact on the 2015-16 season is A.J Harris, who is without a doubt, small in stature.
Yet, he’ll be bringing a full-size toolbox of intangibles and play-making ability to the court.
Gone are the days of Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott running the point for Ohio State. Looking to mend the gap is Harris, who will have a fair shake to start at point guard for the Scarlet and Gray during the 2015-16 season.
Amos “A.J.” Harris
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
High School: Dayton-Dunbar
Position: Guard (1)
Year: Freshman
Height: 5-9
Weight: 150
High School Awards
– Ohio Division II First Team All-State (2015, 2014)
– High School Academic All-American (2010)
– State Champion (2012)
One of the top prospects in the state of Ohio, Amos Harris has been balling at a high level since he was a freshman. The 2012 state champion, helped Dayton Dunbar to a state title his freshman year as the team’s floor general.
During his high school campaign, Harris has continued to silence the doubters by being one of the quickest players in the state.
Despite his size, that is something that still sticks out as the college level. Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said earlier in the off-season that he might be the fastest player that has ever played for him at Ohio State — rivaling that of former Buckeye Mike Conley.
While his intensity on the court has been compared to another former Buckeye Aaron Craft.
Despite scholarship offers from mostly mid-major programs, Matta saw something in Harris that you cannot teach. A willingness to get better. A drive on the court that is unmatched.
Many have doubted the young point guard throughout his career. Yet, he continues to improve on the court, and silence the doubters.
As Tim Langevin pointed out at BT Powerhouse in late April.
The 4-star recruit has also improved his perimeter shooting along the way. In his first two seasons, he shot 31 percent from three-point land and 61 percent from the charity stripe. However, during Harris’ senior season, he converted 121-of-171 free throws for a 71 percent clip and boosted his field goal numbers to 46 percent. Harris averaged 18.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg., and 5.1 apg. to cap a brilliant four-year career.
During his career, he recorded 456 assists with a productive 2.56 A/TO ratio. As evident by his free throw totals, Harris has improved his ability to drive to the rack and draw the foul. He still needs work on his perimeter shooting, especially from mid-range, but that will improve over time with repetition and sound instruction from the OSU coaching staff.
Strengths
A.J. Harris has all the tools that you cannot teach. The point guard has the speed that can blaze past defenders at an alarming rate. Not only is he nearly impossible to guard up court, but throughout his four years as a starter at Dunbar, he has really mastered the art of breaking the press defense.
Something that Ohio State struggled with at points last season.
You have to love the way this team is trending towards grittiness as well. Harris is a chip-on-the-shoulder type player that gives his all every time he laces up his shoes. When your floor general has that character trait, it can leak through to everyone on the court.
Harris is already a good passer at the college basketball level and will be more than ready to play transition basketball for the Buckeyes if Thad Matta calls upon him to do so.
Weaknesses
For all of the intangibles that Harris has, that you cannot coach, It’s also undeniable that there is nothing a coach or player can do about size.
The Dayton Dunbar point guard learned that throughout his career and has struggled at points defensively because of it. The difference though in college will be he won’t be asked to guard the other team’s superstar, no matter what his size is.
5’9″ is still undersized at point guard but not by much in the Big Ten. Michigan State’s Tum Tum Nairn is 5’10”. Michigan’s Spike Albrecht is 5’11”. Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell is only 6′. There will be an adjustment period for Harris defensively and for the coaching staff.
He makes up for that size though with just how much faster he can be at collapsing on an opponent with the ball and his game-changing speed. The next step is for Harris to embrace a similar role that Aaron Craft did when he came into the program.
I’m not saying that Harris is weak defensively, but there is a lot to live up to at point guard in Thad Matta’s system. If you can prove to be a defensive menace as a point guard, there is no doubt that he will find playing time for you.
Role on the Team
When Harris was the first player to commit in the 2015 class, it looked like he was going to walk into the practice gym in the fall as the starting point guard. That could still very well be the case with the Buckeyes.
Remember last year when D’Angelo Russell started the season off the ball with Shannon Scott playing point guard? Late in the recruiting cycle, former Oregon commit JaQuan Lyle also entered the fold for coach Thad Matta. A lot of it due to the fact that Russell sold the school and coaching staff to one of the top play makers in the country.
Matta and company will use the exhibition and early part of the season to determine if Lyle will need the ball in his hands more often, or if Harris is the answer at point guard with Lyle off the ball.
I fully suspect Harris to start at point guard during the 2015-16 season.
There is a reason Matta fell in love with Harris, when no other big time school thought he was good enough. Harris changes the game with his speed and will continue to improve with his superior work ethic.
He is a four-year type player, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t contribute right away. Buckeye hoops fans, it’s time to start getting used to hearing the name A.J. Harris over the P.A. and on your television set.
The post 2015-16 Men’s Basketball Player Preview: A.J. Harris appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
Joe Dexter via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State men’s basketball season is right around the corner. The upstart Buckeyes will take on Walsh in exhibition play on November 8th. To help get you ready for tip-off, The Buckeye Battle Cry will be bringing you Player Previews leading up to the beginning of the season. Today, we start with the freshman class.
There might not be a ton of expectations on the Ohio State Buckeyes this season, but that my no means is a measure of the incoming freshman class for Ohio State. One of the handful of names that could have a major impact on the 2015-16 season is A.J Harris, who is without a doubt, small in stature.
Yet, he’ll be bringing a full-size toolbox of intangibles and play-making ability to the court.
Gone are the days of Aaron Craft and Shannon Scott running the point for Ohio State. Looking to mend the gap is Harris, who will have a fair shake to start at point guard for the Scarlet and Gray during the 2015-16 season.
Amos “A.J.” Harris
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
High School: Dayton-Dunbar
Position: Guard (1)
Year: Freshman
Height: 5-9
Weight: 150
High School Awards
– Ohio Division II First Team All-State (2015, 2014)
– High School Academic All-American (2010)
– State Champion (2012)
One of the top prospects in the state of Ohio, Amos Harris has been balling at a high level since he was a freshman. The 2012 state champion, helped Dayton Dunbar to a state title his freshman year as the team’s floor general.
During his high school campaign, Harris has continued to silence the doubters by being one of the quickest players in the state.
Despite his size, that is something that still sticks out as the college level. Ohio State head coach Thad Matta said earlier in the off-season that he might be the fastest player that has ever played for him at Ohio State — rivaling that of former Buckeye Mike Conley.
While his intensity on the court has been compared to another former Buckeye Aaron Craft.
Despite scholarship offers from mostly mid-major programs, Matta saw something in Harris that you cannot teach. A willingness to get better. A drive on the court that is unmatched.
Many have doubted the young point guard throughout his career. Yet, he continues to improve on the court, and silence the doubters.
As Tim Langevin pointed out at BT Powerhouse in late April.
The 4-star recruit has also improved his perimeter shooting along the way. In his first two seasons, he shot 31 percent from three-point land and 61 percent from the charity stripe. However, during Harris’ senior season, he converted 121-of-171 free throws for a 71 percent clip and boosted his field goal numbers to 46 percent. Harris averaged 18.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg., and 5.1 apg. to cap a brilliant four-year career.
During his career, he recorded 456 assists with a productive 2.56 A/TO ratio. As evident by his free throw totals, Harris has improved his ability to drive to the rack and draw the foul. He still needs work on his perimeter shooting, especially from mid-range, but that will improve over time with repetition and sound instruction from the OSU coaching staff.
A.J. Harris has all the tools that you cannot teach. The point guard has the speed that can blaze past defenders at an alarming rate. Not only is he nearly impossible to guard up court, but throughout his four years as a starter at Dunbar, he has really mastered the art of breaking the press defense.
Something that Ohio State struggled with at points last season.
You have to love the way this team is trending towards grittiness as well. Harris is a chip-on-the-shoulder type player that gives his all every time he laces up his shoes. When your floor general has that character trait, it can leak through to everyone on the court.
Harris is already a good passer at the college basketball level and will be more than ready to play transition basketball for the Buckeyes if Thad Matta calls upon him to do so.
Weaknesses
For all of the intangibles that Harris has, that you cannot coach, It’s also undeniable that there is nothing a coach or player can do about size.
The Dayton Dunbar point guard learned that throughout his career and has struggled at points defensively because of it. The difference though in college will be he won’t be asked to guard the other team’s superstar, no matter what his size is.
5’9″ is still undersized at point guard but not by much in the Big Ten. Michigan State’s Tum Tum Nairn is 5’10”. Michigan’s Spike Albrecht is 5’11”. Indiana’s Yogi Ferrell is only 6′. There will be an adjustment period for Harris defensively and for the coaching staff.
He makes up for that size though with just how much faster he can be at collapsing on an opponent with the ball and his game-changing speed. The next step is for Harris to embrace a similar role that Aaron Craft did when he came into the program.
I’m not saying that Harris is weak defensively, but there is a lot to live up to at point guard in Thad Matta’s system. If you can prove to be a defensive menace as a point guard, there is no doubt that he will find playing time for you.
Role on the Team
When Harris was the first player to commit in the 2015 class, it looked like he was going to walk into the practice gym in the fall as the starting point guard. That could still very well be the case with the Buckeyes.
Remember last year when D’Angelo Russell started the season off the ball with Shannon Scott playing point guard? Late in the recruiting cycle, former Oregon commit JaQuan Lyle also entered the fold for coach Thad Matta. A lot of it due to the fact that Russell sold the school and coaching staff to one of the top play makers in the country.
Matta and company will use the exhibition and early part of the season to determine if Lyle will need the ball in his hands more often, or if Harris is the answer at point guard with Lyle off the ball.
I fully suspect Harris to start at point guard during the 2015-16 season.
There is a reason Matta fell in love with Harris, when no other big time school thought he was good enough. Harris changes the game with his speed and will continue to improve with his superior work ethic.
He is a four-year type player, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t contribute right away. Buckeye hoops fans, it’s time to start getting used to hearing the name A.J. Harris over the P.A. and on your television set.
The post 2015-16 Men’s Basketball Player Preview: A.J. Harris appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...