OTTUMWA --- A former Louisiana high
school athlete who had his high school basketball career cut short by an injury
is coming to Indian Hills Community College to resume his hoops career.
J.R. Harris, 6’4” and 185 pounds,
suffered a serious knee injury playing football his junior season at
Redemptorist HS in Baton Rouge, La. and that forced him to miss his junior and
senior basketball seasons. Harris, a
defensive back, tore his ACL in a mid-season game in the fall of 2011.
At the time, he was considered a
potential college player in both football and basketball. His former high school football coach said,
“You can tell (J.R.) is the son of a coach.
There’s not a doubt in my mind that he could play either sport on the
college level.”
Harris’ dad was a volunteer assistant
women’s basketball coach at Southern University.
But it’s basketball where Harris has
decided to make his mark. And IHCC coach
Barret Peery loves the way Harris plays the game and his effort to be a great
player. “J.R. is a long athlete that is
very skilled,” Peery said. “He is the
prototype for the kind of player we like to have. He has very good range with his shot and a
very good feel for the game.”
The last time Harris played prep
basketball was his sophomore season, when he averaged 19.8 points and 9.0
rebounds and was voted MVP of his district.
At that time, he played forward.
Now two inches taller, Harris is
expected to be a guard for the Warriors.
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