Rashanti Harris, a 6-8, 238-pound power forward from Mississippi playing at The Patterson (NC) School, has committed to Georgia State.
This may come as a blow to Memphis fans, who had hoped he might play for the Tigers.
“He has known coach (Rod) Barnes since eighth grade,” Paula Barnes, Harris’s coach with the Columbus Titans, told Rivals. “He knew him when he was at Ole Miss. Coach Barnes was one of the first coaches to recruit him when he was at Ole Miss.
“He continued to call him when he went to Oklahoma [as an assistant coach] and then now at Georgia State. Coach Barnes has gotten to know their family really well…He had developed a great relationship with them.”
Harris was chosen Mr. Basketball in Mississippi by The Clarion-Ledger after leading New Hope to the Class 4A state championship last season. He averaged 19.7 points, 15 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game as a senior at New Hope.
A special education student, Harris won’t be eligible until 2009.
Patterson school coach Chris Chaney had previously told me Harris was “leaning toward Memphis.
“What I’ve seen of him, he’s a workhorse,” Chaney said. “He’s a tough kid who really plays the game really really hard.
“In my opinon, he has a chance to be the best prep school player in the country right now. I think he has a chance to be that good.”
