Twitter: @MANZANT3
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Frankly, it seems like every time I have discussions with high school players in regards to college commitment, they always breathe some sigh of relief when the recruiting process comes to a conclusion. Sure, a lot of fun comes with it: visiting campuses, building coach-player relationships, and even interacting with fan bases. At the end of the day, however, players will likely feel some form of exhaustion from constantly weighing options. Some guys just get tired of feeling that daily pressure in the back of their mind. In addition, a huge deal of satisfaction emerges after deciding on one of the biggest decisions of one's life, which players typically enjoy more than the process itself. I remember when I made my own college basketball decision during spring break of senior year; it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Committing to a college program should follow with a short time of celebration for such an accomplishment. Nevertheless, Paul VI Catholic High School senior star, Anthony Harris '19, will have little time to reflect on his recent verbal decision; 2018 has been quite the joyride for him and shows no signs of slowing down.
One of the few seniors on the Panthers' roster this season, Harris returns as a true veteran; he's been a part of the Paul VI family since his first high school semester. The 6'4' scoring guard can trace back to when the school first caught his eye.
'It's been cool here,' Harris stated. 'I remember coming to one of the games years ago and liked the atmosphere, as well as the playing style. When watching that team for the first time, I could see myself playing here.'
Once making his arrival, Harris' versatility on the court helped him find a fit within the system immediately. After an impressive first two years, he especially blew up this past winter season as one of the main go-to scorers. His efforts led to an All-WCAC first team selection and the VISAA Division I state title back in March; the program's first state championship since 2014. Heading into the spring, Harris and a couple other fellow Panthers turned their attention to travel ball with Team Takeover's EYBL 17u squad. Realizing it as his final season of summer ball, Harris went on a complete tear; giving everyone trouble who came across this way. In all, the 17u team enjoyed a tremendous summer, finishing with a 25-2 overall record and winning the ‘Peach Jam' and ‘The 8' championships. They also went undefeated in EYBL play (16-0).
'Yeah, the summer was good. We (Paul VI players) all know how to play together with our chemistry so we wanted to carry that over into the Takeover program. We pretty much accomplished everything we wanted to. Winning Peach Jam was the best moment, by far.'
Throughout the summer, Harris saw his recruitment continue to build at a greater rate. High major programs, including Boston College, Indiana, Miami, and Florida, all offered in June. After taking several official visits in the fall, the ESPN four-star prospect cut his list to a final four: UCONN, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest. Last month, on October 2nd, he ultimately decided to join the Hokies. So, has it all started to settle in for the senior, considering everything that 2018 has provided so far'
'I guess you could say so for the most part,' Harris replied, with a grin. 'Through it all, committing probably had to be my favorite moment. Got a lot of congratulatory texts and stuff. But now I'm honestly just ready to get the season started.'
Head Hokies coach Buzz Williams and his staff definitely landed a big one with Harris now in the mix. Taking over a game comes in a more natural way for him than most players around his age. His combination of strength, quickness, three-level scoring, ball security, and body control all combine to make him a constant scoring threat all over the floor. Harris especially gets defenders on their heels when he pushes the ball in transition; excelling as a one-man fast break. I feel his high-level scoring also overshadows the impressive court vision he contains in both the open floor and half court. He gets past defenders at will and can either get his own bucket or create an easy one for another teammate. On the defensive side, Harris' instincts aid in him frequently stripping the ball for opponents and pestering them at will when attempting to make a move past him.
When it came time to make the big decision as to where he would play his college hoops, Harris chose Virginia Tech for a handful of different reasons.
'During the entire process, I wanted to make sure I carefully considered my options by taking different visits to campuses. All of the schools did a great job in their recruitment. I always had Tech in the back in my mind though. Their coaches and I have talked about me coming in and making an immediate impact. My playing style is the type they like. So, I just need to come in and prove I can do anything they ask from me.'
Outside of the basketball aspect, the chill vibe of Blacksburg, VA also stood out to the senior guard.
'You know… I just really like it down there honestly. Not a lot of distractions. It's a beautiful campus, not too far from home either. All of those things drew me in.'
Acknowledging the impressive reputation of academics at the public university, Harris already has in mind the potential field(s) he may look to study.
'I'm thinking about going into criminal justice. Or maybe sports medicine.'
While he and others all highly anticipate his upcoming collegiate career, Harris' priorities are set in stone for this year. He acknowledges how fast high school has flown by and wants to make sure he finishes off his last year with no regrets.
'For senior season, I just want to win. Win everything, no matter what it is. Winning takes care of the rest. And, once that's all done, I just have to make sure to stay on top of things in the classroom and do all the things needed to graduate. Just trying to finish it out strong.'
With his leadership, knowledge, and superb talent, fans in Fairfax County should have high confidence in Harris playing a big role in the Panthers' run to once again finish as one of the top programs in the country. I'm sure he'll truly be missed following the conclusion of this upcoming season. On the other hand, Virginia Tech basketball die-hards have generated a great buzz about the high-profile commit on social media for the last month. Once he arrives in Blacksburg… there's no telling what he'll have in store for the ACC.
And where does the future Hokie see himself in ten years'
'Ten years, hopefully in the NBA.'
Patience, Hokie fans. Patience.