DECATUR — Andrew Harris has come a long way since moving to Decatur almost two years ago.
The 6-foot-3 senior didn’t look like an intimidating basketball player, but then new Bulldogs basketball coach John Unger saw the that the tools were there for Harris to become a force on the court.
That’s exactly what has happened, but the road has been a bumpy one.
Harris and the Bulldogs won just two games last season while going winless in the 2A-4 Conference. But he hit the weights while honing basketball skills, and Decatur has made a remarkable turnaround.
Class 2A West Regional
At Magazine
Boys
Today’s Games
Game 2: No. 1 Magazine vs. No. 4 Hector, 5:30 p.m.
Game 4: No. 1 St. Joseph Conway vs. No. 4 Mountainburg, 8:30 p.m.
Friday’s Games
Game 6: No. 2 Conway Christian vs. Decatur, 5:30 p.m.
Game 8:No. 2 Hackett vs. No. 3 Western Yell County, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday’s Games
Game 10: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 6, 5:30 p.m.
Game 12: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 8, 8:30 p.m.
Monday’s Games
Consolation Round
Game 14: Loser Game 10 vs. Loser Game 12, 1:30 p.m.
Championship
Game 16: Winner Game 10 vs. Winner Game 12, 7:30 p.m.
The Bulldogs (21-6) won the regular season conference championship with a 13-1 record, but they stumbled in the district tournament last week and will be a No. 3 seed at the 2A regional tournament, which will be held in Magazine.
Decatur will play Conway Christian at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, with the winner earning a spot to the Class 2A State Tournament.
“This first game at regional is so key,” Unger said. “We have worked so hard to get where we are at. We just have to focus on that first one. We have a deep bench, and we have great guards for our level. I don’t think we have peaked yet.”
Harris leads a balanced Bulldogs offense, averaging a team-best 12.2 points a game while shooting 49 percent from the field. He also has 38 blocked shots on the year.
“Andrew’s leadership ability, at practice and in games, is what is most impressive,” Unger said. “In practice, he is our vocal leader. He has committed to the Marines, he just knows what he wants to do.”
Decatur rebounded from the district loss to defeat Mountainburg to get the No. 3 seed. Harris made 7-of-9 shots and finished with a team-high 15 points and five rebounds.
Harris said offensive execution has been the key for a team that has gone from 2-26 to 21-6.
“We have been making that extra pass on offense,” Harris said. “When we do that, we get easy buckets. We have also been finishing teams off, beating people in close games.”
Unger said Harris is a different player from a year ago.
“Andrew came in as a skinny tall kid,” Unger said. “We knew there were tools there, he just hadn’t grown into his body. He has some strength on him so he carries his body a little better.”