Aggie senior Harris ending anonymous career grateful for one more shot

Aggie senior Harris ending anonymous career grateful for one more shot

(Ravell Call/Deseret News)


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LOGAN — Utah State will send off its seniors with a Senior Night presentation at home Saturday against 12-5 Colorado State.

As the only senior on the Aggies’ active roster, Sean Harris will naturally be in the spotlight. But don’t expect the event to be renamed "Sean Harris Night."

And that’s just fine with the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward from Rocklin, California.

“I just like to give energy. If anything, I just try to get the best out of everybody, especially when I’m playing,” said Harris, who averages 2.0 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 12.4 minutes off the bench in 2014-15. "I don’t know what to call it, but when I get in the game, it’s more fun for me to watch David Collette or Jalen Moore dunk or Darius (Perkins) hit a three than to see myself score. If I can get a pass or a screen for an open three, that’s more fun.

“Whether I score or they score, the team is having fun. That’s what it’s all about.”

Harris’ career at Utah State (18-11, 11-6 MW) has been mostly anonymous, with fans often recognizing his now-trademark flat top of red-cropped hair over his hook shot, back-to-the-basket game or efficient rebounding. The hair came on a whim, earning him instant notoriety when it was paired with teammate Jalen Moore’s afro during a lighthearted feature on ESPN.

The playing time came a little more slowly, though.

Make no mistake: Harris’ energy has been noticed by the Aggies, and his off-the-bench spark has been a key contributor to Utah State’s recent 6-1 run down the stretch that includes wins in three-straight home games and five wins in the past six games at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

Sean Harris of Utah State celebrates as USU builds a lead over UNLV during an NCAA basketball game in Logan, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015. (Ravell Call/Deseret News)
Sean Harris of Utah State celebrates as USU builds a lead over UNLV during an NCAA basketball game in Logan, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015. (Ravell Call/Deseret News)

“Sean’s going to go in and shake it up. He’s going to be a bull in there and play hard,” said Utah State coach Stew Morrill, who will coach his final regular-season game at the Spectrum on Saturday. “He’s a hustle guy, a garbage guy, an energy guy, a great leader for our team. It doesn’t matter if he plays two minutes or 20 minutes, he’s the same. Boy, is that a luxury as a coach.”

Harris’ current senior year almost didn’t happen. The transfer from Yuba Community College played out his two seasons of original eligibility at the end of last year, and he started for the Aggies in their final regular-season home contest at the end of the season, his first and only career start with Utah State to date. He celebrated Senior Night with last year’s group, and didn’t think much about added playing time with the Aggies, content to finish his degree in business administration and move on.

The highlight of his career was starting the Aggies’ Senior Night last year, a 65-54 win over Wyoming on March 5, 2014. Harris totaled a career-high four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 11 minutes of playing time in his lone career start, and he thought his playing days were done.

“For me, (last year’s senior night) was pretty special,” Harris recalled. “I played nine minutes right off the bat; there wasn’t much called, and no dead balls, so we went nine minutes without a media timeout. Everyone was tired on the court, not just me.

“I went out there, and I just played. I did what I thought I could do the whole time, which was compete at a high level.”

But Harris missed the 2012-13 season after suffering a knee injury during preseason workouts, then played in only 10 games in 2013-14 after re-injuring his knee, prompting an appeal to the NCAA to regain a sixth year of eligibility.

A pair of injuries to his anterior cruciate ligament cut short Harris’ time in Logan and nearly derailed his entire basketball career. The NCAA granted him one more season, and with the Aggies in the midst of a transition year with a roster of no other seniors and relying primarily on freshmen and sophomores.

“It was just chance that I had injuries,” Harris said. “It wasn’t the fault of the NCAA, but I just felt like I got the short end of the stick. I had a great first season, and I wanted to see what I could do.

“Now I get the opportunity, and I’m taking full advantage of it.”

Harris’ leadership — even if not his points and rebounds — has been invaluable. He’s been able to step in for Utah State’s big men like David Collette, the redshirt freshman who has at times struggled with foul trouble — and the Aggies don’t miss a beat.

Every second matters for Harris, and he said he knows how blessed he is for the past year, one more in college basketball.

“Not everyone is fortunate to have a healthy career in basketball, and I’m one of those people,” Harris said. “I planned a much different career at Utah State than what happened. Now that it’s passed, I don’t think I would change it. It’s shaped me and formed who I am today. It’s shown me that I’m a fighter, that I can persevere until the end and not give up to major setbacks.”

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