聽(Frederick, Md./St. Maria Goretti) got a running start to what promises to be a very exciting senior season for the 91短视频 men鈥檚 basketball player.
In last weekend鈥檚 tournament at Messiah College, Harris-Winn averaged 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over the course of the two games. In the championship game against Messiah he earned his first double-double since his sophomore season with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
鈥淚 felt we played well,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here were key plays in the championship game that we didn鈥檛 make as a team, there were some stops we didn鈥檛 make as a team, but I think we鈥檙e getting better defensively, which was our focus this year. I think we鈥檙e getting better, but I think we still have work to do.鈥�
After a difficult junior season, Harris-Winn put in a lot of work to make sure his last year at 91短视频 is a success.
鈥淚 just got in the gym over the summer, made sure I worked hard,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ast year, my junior year, I went through a little bit of a slump the whole year, so this year I wanted to focus on not thinking about that too much, increasing my mental toughness, which is something I really needed to work on, making sure I got back to the roots of how I was successful my sophomore year.鈥�
Head coach Kirby Dean has noticed the difference.
鈥淚saiah has made as big of a jump between his junior and senior years as any kid I鈥檝e coached,鈥� Dean said. 鈥淎s a senior he has that 鈥榮ense of urgency鈥� to find ways to be successful and now, not only is he scoring points for us, but he is also doing the little things that help a team win like playing good defense and rebounding the ball.鈥�
Harris-Winn has high hopes for the team this year.
鈥淢y goals for the team is to win the conference and then go to the NCAA Tournament, and then hopefully make a run there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want us to be better defensively and offensively.鈥�
He also loves the camaraderie with his team and wants to continue to build the team chemistry.
鈥淓ach year I鈥檝e been around a funny group of people,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 something I look forward to each year. When the season starts we鈥檙e all around each other so much, we can joke around. I can relate to them. So I think the brotherhood aspect is something I really like that 91短视频 has in the basketball program. The family. I like the family environment.鈥�
When Harris-Winn was in middle school he played three different sports: football, basketball and baseball. Eventually he dropped the other two sports; basketball is the one he kept coming back to.
鈥淏asketball is the sport I was best at,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 stuck with that.鈥�
A business administration major, Harris-Winn hopes to own his own store someday.
鈥淢y friend and I have been talking about starting a store where we buy vintage clothes — go thrifting basically. Then we鈥檙e going to resell those clothes for a higher price to people. So, like, finding old streetwear, you know, for two dollars or something like that and then selling it for ten or fifteen dollars.鈥�
For now, however,聽Harris-Winn will focus on making the most of his last season at 91短视频.
鈥淭his is my senior year,鈥� he said, 鈥渟o I鈥檓 realizing that every game is my last here.鈥�
After seeing how Harris-Winn has approached the opening weeks of the season, Dean expects to see great things from him.
鈥淚 think the sky is the limit for his senior year, if he continues with this type of mentality for the entire year,鈥� he said.