UWM signs Leneal Harris

[Pantherholic]

Milwaukee King's Harris commits to UW-Milwaukee
Posted by: Mark Miller
Date: 07-30-2005

A pair of talented seniors from Milwaukee Rufus King High School have made verbal commitments to attend NCAA Division I schools, while a third is closing in on a final decision.

Combination guard Leneal Harris (6-1) joined shooting guard Troy Cotton (6-1) in making a verbal commitment to a Horizon League school on Thursday when he opted to accept a scholarship offer from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee coach Rob Jeter. Cotton previously had made a commitment to attend UW- Green Bay and play for coach Tod Kowalczyk .

Both Harris and Cotton are expected to sign letters of intent with their respective schools during the November early signing period.

Harris was offered a scholarship by Jeter last Tuesday after several strong performances at an AAU event in Las Vegas. He accepted the offer on Thursday, and thus is the first Wisconsin high school recruit for Jeter, who was named the Panthers' head coach in March after former coach Bruce Pearl left to become the head coach at Tennessee.

"I think it's a good fit," King coach Jim Gosz said Saturday evening. "Leneal made up his mind a while back that if UW-Milwaukee would offer, he would take it. It saves his parents a lot of gas money."

Harris is the first recruit in the Panthers' 2006 recruiting class. Jeter could award as many as six scholarships in 2006, and is actively recruiting several Wisconsin prep stars, including Adam Koch of Ashwaubenon, D'Angalo Jackson of Milwaukee Pius XI, Andy Polka of Oshkosh West and Matt Schneck of Whitefish Bay.

Harris averaged seven points and three rebounds per game while earning honorable mention all-conference honors in the Milwaukee City Conference last season as King finished 16-6.

"Leneal will play at Milwaukee," Gosz said. "Coach Jeter said Leneal reminded him of Kalombo Kadima, who played at UWM and King as well. Leneal's strong, and he's working very hard on his outside shot. He's a solid prospect."

Several NCAA Division I schools showed interest in Harris besides Milwaukee, including Valparaiso and Illinois State. Division II UW-Parkside had also made a strong push for Harris.

www.wbby.com/cgi/scoopdisp.cgi?scoop_id=209

[germanathens]

Not bad...

But now let's pick up Adam Koch, D'Angalo Jackson, and Andy Polka. Then hopefully we can move out of Wisconsin for the remaining recruits. How about a 6'10" - 7'0"?

Later,
UWMfreak

[Kingsbury]

Leneal Harris is the first Wisconsin High School Recruit to verbal for 2006. I quote you took is a mistake in the article.

[Pantherholic]

King's Harris says yes to UWM
Guard is Jeter's first local commitment
By CHRISTOPHER DABE
[e-mail]
Posted: July 31, 2005

A hotel lobby in Las Vegas was where UW-Milwaukee men's basketball coach Rob Jeter introduced himself to Leneal Harris of Milwaukee King and offered him a scholarship to play college basketball.

Harris needed only a few days to think before he accepted and became the first local player to commit to UWM since Jeter was hired in April.

"I was very surprised to meet him," Harris said Sunday. "UWM had been my first choice, and that was where I've wanted to play."

Harris, the fifth player overall and the first from the high school class of 2006 to commit to Jeter and UWM, will sign a letter of intent during the early signing period, Nov. 9-16.

Harris is a 6-foot point guard who averaged 8.1 points per game and was an honorable mention all-City Conference selection last season. Harris was a reserve on the second of King's two straight WIAA Division 1 state championship teams, in 2004.

Harris was offered a scholarship on the last day of a basketball tournament last week in Las Vegas. He also considered Northern Illinois.

Varetta Harris, Leneal's mother, said that tournament was where her son cemented his status with Jeter.

"This was Leneal's third year playing out there," said Varetta, who attended UWM. "I think that was where Jeter made his final decision to get him a scholarship."

Harris is one of two players from King to have orally committed. Troy Cotton, a 6-2 shooting guard, will sign with UW-Green Bay.

Cotton was the sixth-ranked junior in the state by the Journal Sentinel, but Harris was not on the list of 10.

"A lot of people tell me I'm one of the most underrated players in Wisconsin," Harris said. "I took that in a positive way and kept working hard, no matter what."

King teammate Mitchell Carter, a 6-11 forward, was rated fifth by the Journal Sentinel and has drawn a lot of interest.

Jeter was an assistant to Bo Ryan at Wisconsin for four seasons and replaced Bruce Pearl in April after Pearl accepted the head coaching job with the University of Tennessee.

Varetta said Jeter saw Harris during previous recruiting visits to King, when Jeter was at Wisconsin.

"He said when he was at Madison that he liked the way he played," she said.

Leneal Harris said he hoped to compete for a lot of playing time as a freshman. UWM has seven seniors this season.

"(Jeter) told me he was losing seven players," Harris said. "He told me he wants people who can come in right off the bat and play. He told me to keep working hard."

NCAA rules prohibit Jeter from commenting on Harris until he is signed.

Since April, Jeter has signed or received commitments from four other players. Two are eligible this year.

Eligible are transfer Kevin Massiah, a 6-5 small forward from a junior college in Michigan, and Kaylan Anderson, a 6-5 wing player who graduated from Birmingham (Ala.) Central Park Christian.

Paige Paulsen, a 6-7 forward, will transfer from Northern Illinois and will be ineligible to play this season.

Charlie Swiggett, a 6-1 guard, will attend a prep school in Massachusetts.

UWM was 26-6, won the Horizon League championship and reached the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 last year. The Panthers return four starters.

Among local players, Jeter is also targeting D'Angalo Jackson of Milwaukee Pius and Matt Schneck of Whitefish Bay.

[mcdadenets50]

pantherholic said:

King's Harris says yes to UWM
Guard is Jeter's first local commitment
By CHRISTOPHER DABE

Someone new covering the Panthers? We can only hope so.

[WIBballfan]

There is a post on a UW discussion board about this. They were debating if a NCAA violation occurred because the article stated, “A hotel lobby in Las Vegas was where UW-Milwaukee men's basketball coach Rob Jeter introduced himself to Leneal Harris of Milwaukee King and offered him a scholarship to play college basketball.” Any thoughts or concerns a violations may have occurred?

[Hack]

mcdadenets50 said:

pantherholic said:

King's Harris says yes to UWM
Guard is Jeter's first local commitment
By CHRISTOPHER DABE

Someone new covering the Panthers? We can only hope so.

No. Manoyan won't actually bring himself to filing a story in the offseason ... so they have their prep writers cover his lazy ass.

[aknowsense]

wibballfan said:

There is a post on a UW discussion board about this. They were debating if a NCAA violation occurred because the article stated, “A hotel lobby in Las Vegas was where UW-Milwaukee men's basketball coach Rob Jeter introduced himself to Leneal Harris of Milwaukee King and offered him a scholarship to play college basketball.” Any thoughts or concerns a violations may have occurred?

Jeter met him while he was at Wisconsin, and I don't think the article is very well written.

Varetta said Jeter saw Harris during previous recruiting visits to King, when Jeter was at Wisconsin.

"He said when he was at Madison that he liked the way he played," she said.