College basketball: Like her team, Harris a late bloomer

If anyone has thrust Odessa College sophomore Keisha Harris into a role of relevancy, do not look at the head coach, an injury or something else. Look at her.

Her late-season emergence helped the Lady Wranglers make a run to earn a spot in the Region V Tournament, which begins with a 10 a.m. matchup against Hill College (17-13 overall, 11-5 North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference) on Saturday at Lubbock Christian University.

In crucial conference games down the stretch against New Mexico Junior College and Howard College, Harris had 23 and 15 points, respectively. Her minutes have increased, and she is closing the gap when starting guards Diandra Marquez and Shon Redmond (the second- and third-leading scorers, respectively) substitute out and she comes in. 

Harris has done so after a freshman season in 2007-08 during which she essentially rode the bench as Odessa College struggled through a 7-21 season. She found a new role for the Lady Wranglers (20-9, 9-5 in WJCAC) during her sophomore campaign.

Harris had been offensive district player of the year her senior season at Abilene Cooper, so last year, when she averaged well below double digits in minutes and went through strings of games without playing, Harris high-fived far more than she finger-rolled.

"I tried to keep everybody positive and motivated even though we didn't come out successful," she said. "I felt that was my job since I wasn't playing. I had to do something else. I'm still part of the team, regardless."

When the offseason came, she made sure to work as hard as she could to get more minutes. She focused on her defense, took advantage of defending fellow sophomore Priscilla Mbiandja, the team's leading scorer, every day, and did little things to round out her game. She was already known as a scorer, after all.

 "I still tell the team this all time, ‘I sat the bench last year'," Harris said. "I knew I wanted to play this year., but I knew I had to work hard to get on the floor.

If I didn't do that, I'd be right back on the bench this year; I didn't want to do that. I wanted to show I could play the game of basketball. I had to do something about that."

Still, this year started slowly. She didn't find her groove until the team did. The difference between the beginning of the year to this point: hustle.

And taking advantage of the minutes you're given. She should know.

 "When you get in the game, the amount of time you can go for, as long as you go hard, it's not gonna hurt us because you're gonna give it your all," Harris said.

Head coach Ara Baten has rewarded Harris accordingly.

"She's a better defensive player (compared to early in the season), a better rebounder," Baten said. "She's always had an ability to score. She's added to those other things. She's waited her turn and her turn's finally come and she's playing great."

If Harris and freshman post Brittany Pennell, another player who blossomed late in the year, can stay consistent, the Wranglers will have depth to perhaps advance in the postseason. Odessa College won four of its last five games, and they were crucial toward the end.

"I felt like (the Howard game) opened my eyes, too," Harris said. "I know what I can do as long as I keep doing this game after game after game, day after day after day. If we can continue to play well, we will have success in the playoffs."

Harris said she could have left Odessa College after last season, when the team went 3-11 in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference and failed to make the playoffs.

But she stayed. She saw potential in the squad, and in herself.

 "It's a big turnaround from last year," Harris said. "That's what we needed, especially for our four sophomores. Because it was hard, coming off of last year.

"It was hard, but you have to overcome it. We did better this year. We showed we're not a bad team at all. Good things are gonna come to us."

>> NJCAA REGION V TOURNAMENT --- Women's bracket

Lubbock Christian University

Rip Griffin Center

>> March 7

Game one: Odessa College vs. Hill College, 10 a.m.

Game two: South Plains vs. Collin County CC, Noon

Game three: Howard College vs. Weatherford College, 2 p.m.

Game four: Midland College vs. Grayson County College, 4 p.m.

>> March 9

Semifinal: Game two winner vs. game three winner, noon

Semifinal: Game one winner vs. game four winner, 2 p.m.

>> March 10

Championship: game five winner vs. game six winner, 2 p.m.