Andi
12-10-2007, 09:55 PM
Heritage guard overcomes
accident to lead the Canes
By Jason Jordan
Jamar Harris doesn’t remember the cold November afternoon when a Dodge Caravan going more than 35 mph slammed into his left knee. He can’t recall the momentum of the hit slamming his face into the windshield. He’s got no memory of his body flying 6 feet into the air before slamming violently into the street.
Harris, Heritage High’s point guard, only remembers waking up in the ambulance and asking, "What happened?"
"I had no idea what was going on," Harris said. "They told me that I had got hit by a car. I felt my knee throbbing. I said, ‘I got hit by a car that quick?’ "
The 2004 accident sidelined Harris for two years, and he used last season to relearn the game. Now, he’s back at the controls and ready to lead the Canes to new heights. At 7 p.m. tonight, he and the Canes (2-0, 2-0) will head over to Woodside (0-2, 0-1) to try and knock off the Wolverines.
"I’m blessed," Harris said. "It could’ve been worse."
Harris was no shoe-in to make the varsity team in 2004, especially as a freshman. He wasn’t one of the ones that thought of tryouts as a mere formality.
"I had to work hard," Harris said. "I put in a lot of work to make the team that year. I was so excited because it was it was my first year playing high school basketball."
Heritage coach Dennis Koutoufas added: "We were short on guards that year, and he surprised everybody and made the team. He was gonna play a lot that year."
Harris shouldn’t have been crossing the street that day. The team usually practices directly after school at 2:30 p.m., but the night before, during final cuts, practice got moved back to 4:45 p.m. to rotate times with the girls team.
"I didn’t care what time we practiced," Harris said. "I was just happy that I made the team."
He was hungry after school and decided to head to the store just around the corner from the school to get a snack. His brother Donnell and his cousin Damien, also his teammates, went along.
Harris remembers reaching the street.
"That’s it," Harris said. "I just felt a lot of pain in my knee when I woke up."
He later found out that he had broken his nose and bones in his left leg. As a result, Harris had to wear a cast and walk on crutches for six months. Rehab kept him sidelined the following year, too.
He’s noticeably agitated when asked if he’s ever spoken with the woman who hit him.
The van was traveling more than 35 mph in a school zone, according to Harris’ mom Christine. The zone calls for a speed limit of 25 mph. No charges were filed.
"I spoke with her over the phone," Christine said. "She said that she didn’t see him and that she didn’t mean to hit him. That’s basically it."
Added Harris: "I didn’t want to talk to the woman that hit me. I felt like she pushed my career back. I was a little angry about that."
Even last year when he came back, Harris didn’t foresee the learning curve.
"I had to learn all over again and that was frustrating," Harris said. "There was a lot I didn’t know, and as a point guard you have a lot more responsibilities."
He finished last season averaging four points and three assists in limited minutes. The Canes finished 8-14.
"I was learning the whole time," Harris said. "It was a rough season, but I learned a lot."
It paid off this past summer.
Harris led the Canes to a team camp title at Christopher Newport and averaged 16 points and five assists per game. In the title game at the CNU camp, Harris made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points.
That carried over to the Canes’ season-opening win over Menchville. In that game, Harris scored 21 points and dished out five assists.
"His confidence level has grown a lot," Koutoufas said. "It’s hard for us to get started without him, so he’s gonna be big for us this year. We’ll need him to lead, and he’s been doing that."
Added Harris: "I’m a step slower and I don’t jump as high, but I play hard. I’ve been through a lot, but I’m just happy to be back. I’m grateful, and now I just want to help get our team to the top."
accident to lead the Canes
By Jason Jordan
Jamar Harris doesn’t remember the cold November afternoon when a Dodge Caravan going more than 35 mph slammed into his left knee. He can’t recall the momentum of the hit slamming his face into the windshield. He’s got no memory of his body flying 6 feet into the air before slamming violently into the street.
Harris, Heritage High’s point guard, only remembers waking up in the ambulance and asking, "What happened?"
"I had no idea what was going on," Harris said. "They told me that I had got hit by a car. I felt my knee throbbing. I said, ‘I got hit by a car that quick?’ "
The 2004 accident sidelined Harris for two years, and he used last season to relearn the game. Now, he’s back at the controls and ready to lead the Canes to new heights. At 7 p.m. tonight, he and the Canes (2-0, 2-0) will head over to Woodside (0-2, 0-1) to try and knock off the Wolverines.
"I’m blessed," Harris said. "It could’ve been worse."
Harris was no shoe-in to make the varsity team in 2004, especially as a freshman. He wasn’t one of the ones that thought of tryouts as a mere formality.
"I had to work hard," Harris said. "I put in a lot of work to make the team that year. I was so excited because it was it was my first year playing high school basketball."
Heritage coach Dennis Koutoufas added: "We were short on guards that year, and he surprised everybody and made the team. He was gonna play a lot that year."
Harris shouldn’t have been crossing the street that day. The team usually practices directly after school at 2:30 p.m., but the night before, during final cuts, practice got moved back to 4:45 p.m. to rotate times with the girls team.
"I didn’t care what time we practiced," Harris said. "I was just happy that I made the team."
He was hungry after school and decided to head to the store just around the corner from the school to get a snack. His brother Donnell and his cousin Damien, also his teammates, went along.
Harris remembers reaching the street.
"That’s it," Harris said. "I just felt a lot of pain in my knee when I woke up."
He later found out that he had broken his nose and bones in his left leg. As a result, Harris had to wear a cast and walk on crutches for six months. Rehab kept him sidelined the following year, too.
He’s noticeably agitated when asked if he’s ever spoken with the woman who hit him.
The van was traveling more than 35 mph in a school zone, according to Harris’ mom Christine. The zone calls for a speed limit of 25 mph. No charges were filed.
"I spoke with her over the phone," Christine said. "She said that she didn’t see him and that she didn’t mean to hit him. That’s basically it."
Added Harris: "I didn’t want to talk to the woman that hit me. I felt like she pushed my career back. I was a little angry about that."
Even last year when he came back, Harris didn’t foresee the learning curve.
"I had to learn all over again and that was frustrating," Harris said. "There was a lot I didn’t know, and as a point guard you have a lot more responsibilities."
He finished last season averaging four points and three assists in limited minutes. The Canes finished 8-14.
"I was learning the whole time," Harris said. "It was a rough season, but I learned a lot."
It paid off this past summer.
Harris led the Canes to a team camp title at Christopher Newport and averaged 16 points and five assists per game. In the title game at the CNU camp, Harris made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points.
That carried over to the Canes’ season-opening win over Menchville. In that game, Harris scored 21 points and dished out five assists.
"His confidence level has grown a lot," Koutoufas said. "It’s hard for us to get started without him, so he’s gonna be big for us this year. We’ll need him to lead, and he’s been doing that."
Added Harris: "I’m a step slower and I don’t jump as high, but I play hard. I’ve been through a lot, but I’m just happy to be back. I’m grateful, and now I just want to help get our team to the top."