Virginia’s Tony Bennett has landed his second verbal commitment for the class of 2010, and it comes from a town not far from the campus of previous employer Washington State.
Rising senior guard Joe Harris of Chelan, Wash., pledged to Bennett and the Cavaliers Monday.
“Just being comfortable with Coach Bennett,” Harris listed as his motivation to commit to the Atlantic Coast Conference school. “I trust him and all the things he has to offer. I just felt in my gut that it was the right decision.”
The 6-foot-5 Harris averaged 24.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game as a junior, leading the Goats to a 24-6 record and the Class 1A state tournament. Harris plays for his father – also Joe Harris – at Chelan but says leaving the central Washington resort town behind for the East Coast wasn’t a huge issue.
“I was definitely thinking about that pretty hard,” Harris said. “I talked with my parents and I probably wouldn’t be coming home from school that often no matter where I went. I know they will try to come to as many games as they can. It was not too big of a factor.”
Harris has seen his stock rise this summer playing with the Seattle-based Friends of Hoop program. He began making noise on the small-school level in Washington as a sophomore, posting 22.3 points and 4.7 assists per game.
“A year ago, I definitely wouldn’t have thought I would be playing in the ACC,” Harris said.
Chelan is a little over 200 miles northwest of Pullman, where Bennett led Washington State to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2007 and 2008.
In addition to Virginia, Brigham Young, Southern Methodist, Washington and Washington State extended scholarship offers. Gonzaga, Notre Dame and Oregon State also showed interest.
Harris joins Buffalo, N.Y., post player Will Regan as players set to join Bennett’s program at Virginia in the fall of 2010.
“It is nice to get it out of the way so I can focus on Chelan basketball,” Harris said.
Former University of Utah four-year contributor Phil Cullen graduated from Chelan in 1998 after leading the Goats to a state title and is the last Division I basketball signee from the school.
