Harris signs to play college ball
RONAN — Ronan senior Nolan Harris has signed an NAIA letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Montana Western in Dillon.
It has been a dream to play college ball for the 6-foot-4-inch guard. Harris accepted a small athletic scholarship.
“It’s what I’ve been working for. I wasn’t sure where, I just got lucky and got to go to Western,” Harris said.
Harris, who plans to study Biology and possibly go pre-med, chose Western over other schools because the course schedule was a better fit for him, he said.
Western requires students to take only one class at a time for 18 days, which appealed to Harris.
Harris plans to redshirt next year and try to work his way into the lineup as school progresses.
“It might be a bit slow for a while but that will just make it better when I’m on the court,” he said.
Harris had a chance to play on that court with the team when he went down to visit a few weeks back. The standout memory was being swatted by a big center as he went up for a layup, as if to say “Welcome to college basketball, Nolan.”
“I felt pretty foolish because he sent it pretty hard off the back board,” Harris said.
Still coming of an outstanding senior year and competing well in a couple of all-star tournaments, Harris said he is looking forward to the next step.
“I’m really excited. It’s a lot of weight off my shoulders figuring out where I’m going to go. But it’s going to suck being a freshman again,” Harris said.
In addition to basketball, Harris participated in golf, show choir, big brothers/big sisters, and football at Ronan.
His senior year of basketball, Harris earned an average of 12 points per game, five rebounds per game, three assists, two steals, 52 percent at the free throw line and 39 percent of his field goals. Harris lettered four times in basketball, won all conference honors three times and was named offensive MVP, according to a press release from UM Western.
In high school, Harris was in the National Honor Society, a Wendy’s High School Heisman State Finalist, and was an academic all-state student seven times. He maintained a 3.68 grade point average.
“We are excited that Nolan has chosen Montana Western,” UM Western coach Steve Keller said, “Nolan has lots of potential and we are looking forward to watching his development as a student and player.”