<p>By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published February 16, 2008</p>
<p>Chris Harris was a Division III basketball recruit coming out of high school. The Virginia native wasn’t willing to settle for playing at that level and chose to attend prep school in hopes of earning a Division I offer.</p>
<p>That gamble paid off when Fork Union Military Academy traveled to Annapolis to play the Naval Academy junior varsity. Navy head coach Billy Lange and several assistants attended the game and took notice of the Fork Union point guard, who consistently made sound, fundamental plays.</p>
<p>“I specifically remember Chris making a perfect entry pass to the post and turning to (former assistant) John Krikorian and saying, ‘How come our guys can’t make that pass?’ You could just tell the kid knew how to play basketball,” Lange said. “Plus, we saw he had a little something inside – that competitive fire and toughness that you need.”</p>
<p>All those intangibles - the feel for the game, the fine-tuned techniques, the determination and heart - were the result of spending years playing hundreds of high-level games on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit. It helped that Harris was coached by his father, who played Division I basketball and understood the proper way to play the game.</p>
<p>Lange’s instincts and evaluation have proven accurate since Harris has become Navy’s starting point guard as a sophomore. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder is enjoying an excellent season, ranking second on the squad in scoring with an average of 13.9 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor.</p>
<p>“Chris is playing great and really giving the team what it needs from that position,” said Lange, who believes Harris is a legitimate candidate for All-Patriot League honors.</p>
<p>“What he’s done so far this season is nothing short of amazing.”</p>
<p>Harris played for Richmond Metro on the AAU circuit and was surrounded by such future Division I prospects as Tyrese Rice (Boston College), Marcus Ginyard (North Carolina), Tomas Jocelinas (St. John’s) and Ryan Butler (Richmond). He attended Benedictine Military Academy, where his teammates included Vernon Hamilton (Clemson), Bambale Osby (Maryland), Matt Murrer (VMI) and Reid Augst (UNC-Asheville).</p>
<p>“I’ve played with and against big-time ballplayers my whole life,” Harris said. “My dream since I was a little kid was to play Division I basketball. I wasn’t going to give up on that dream easily.”</p>
<p>Tim Harris, who played at Virginia Commonwealth from 1977-1980, coached his son on the AAU circuit. He helped instill many of those intangibles that later caught the attention of Coach Lange.</p>
<p>However, superb fundamentals, a monstrous heart and sweet shooting stroke were not enough to overcome a lack of size in the eyes of Division I recruiters. Harris only stood 5-foot-5 as a high school sophomore. By the time he finally hit a growth spurt as a senior, the scholarship opportunities had passed him by.</p>
<p>“It came down to size. I was just too short and frail to play at that level,” he said.</p>
<p>Randolph-Macon, Hampden-Sydney and Barton were among several Division III schools that expressed interest, but the Mechanicsville (Va.) resident felt he could do better. He enrolled at Fork Union, grew two more inches and converted to point guard after having played off the ball his entire career.</p>
<p>“From a father’s perspective, it’s rewarding to see a kid reach a goal he’s worked so hard to achieve. Chris has poured his heart and soul into becoming a Division I basketball player,” Tim Harris said.</p>
<p>When Harris arrived in Annapolis as a plebe and began individual workouts in August, Lange and staff were wondering if they had made the right decision.</p>
<p>“Chris was so nervous in his first workout. He was shooting air balls and dribbling off his foot,” Lange said. “Then preseason practice began and his team was always winning. In the competitive practice setting, that internal drive and desire showed through.”</p>
<p>Harris had a solid freshman season, playing in all 30 games and leading the team with a 1.30 assist-to-turnover ratio. He flashed scoring ability by pouring in draining five 3-pointers and scoring 21 points against Stony Brook. However, the youngsters clearly wore down as the season progressed and did not make as much of an impact in Patriot League games as he did during the non-conference portion of the schedule.</p>
<p>Harris lived in the weight room during the off-season and became best friends with strength and conditioning coordinator Justin Livezey.</p>
<p>“I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Justin. He has completely transformed my body,” said Harris, who has gained 20 pounds of muscle since coming to the academy. “That weight and strength have helped me out immensely on the court. I’m not getting pushed around as much.”</p>
<p>Harris has been remarkably consistent this season and is the only player in the Patriot League that ranks among the top 10 in eight of 12 statistical categories. He is averaging 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.0 rebounds per game.</p>
<p>“Chris has really developed in the role of directing the offense and distributing the ball. He’s grown as a leader and gotten better at making reads, making decisions,” Lange said.</p>
<p>Harris has already drained 69 3-pointers and needs just eight more to surpass Jimmy Hamilton (1994) and set the single-season school record for that category. He ranks among the national leaders in 3-point field goal shooting, hitting 44 percent.</p>