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PSA's Harris
accepts
Howard U
scholarship
The fact that Howard University is an HBCU isn’t the main reason that Bryce Harris committed there this week. But it is a pretty cool reason nonetheless.
Harris, Putnam Science Academy’s 6-foot, 6-inch, 220-pound guard, announced his decision to accept a full basketball scholarship to the Washington, D.C. school this past weekend, and in the process will become the fourth member of his family to attend a historically Black college and university. His father went to North Carolina A&T, while both his cousin and sister attended Hampton University.
“I wanted to add some Bryce to the mix,” he said with a smile.
The biggest thing that led him to Howard was his relationship with head coach Kenneth Blakeney. Harris said Blakeney began recruiting him early when he was a member of the Class of 2020 and kept recruiting him hard when Harris reclassified to the Class of 2021.
“When you have a coach that shows that much effort, it’s going to be a good place to be,” Harris said. “And basketball-wise, I really feel like I’ll fit there. I’m going to be a piece of the puzzle.”
Howard, which plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, has had eight games cancelled or postponed due so far to the pandemic, and has dropped four of five games in the disjointed season. The Bison struggled mightily last year, going 4-29.
Recruitment has been a roller coaster for Harris, as it has been for so many in his class. The pandemic shutdown essentially all in-person recruiting – college coaches weren’t allowed to go out and watch kids play (if there even games being played), student-athletes weren’t allowed to visit prospective colleges, and new transfer rules at the college level are leaving fewer open roster spots.
“I’m excited and relieved, probably more relieved than anything,” Harris said. “It’s getting the weight off your shoulders and you can play the game again for the fun of it and just for getting better. You don’t have to worry about what coaches are seeing or not seeing. I think it kind of put me on edge a little. Basketball is easier when you have less to think about. You’re going to make mistakes as a basketball player regardless but you don’t feel like your mistakes are as detrimental to your recruitment.”
With his size and strength, Harris is a mismatch for both smaller guards and bigger post players. He is originally from Brentwood, N.Y. on Long Island, but played his high school ball in North Carolina. Before coming to PSA for his postgrad year, Harris was ranked among the Top 10 players in both states. In two games before the pandemic shut down play here, he averaged nine points and six rebounds.
“He’s a talented player,” PSA coach Tom Espinosa said. “He can do a lot of things at his size that cause problems.”
Said Harris: “One of the Howard coaches actually told me, ‘Other players play like they came in a limo. You play like you took the bus.’ It’s good to be known as a hustle guy, grabbing offensive rebounds, doing the dirty work that is so important. But I can bring more too.”
Harris is the seventh member of this year’s team that has committed to a Division I school, joining Bensley Joseph (University of Miami), Nic Louis-Jacques (Colgate), Sean Durugordon (University of Missouri), Alexis Reyes (East Carolina), Mohamed Sanogo (Florida International), and newcomers Nana Owusu (Brown) and Josh Bascoe (Bucknell).
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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