Harper off to fast start
AUBURN | Jared Harper was just a 5-foot-10, three-star point guard when he committed to Auburn in March of 2015. But a strong summer on the AAU circuit elevated his stock tremendously and he wound up signing with the Tigers last November as a four-star and the nation’s No. 56 overall prospect.
He’s continued that ascension since enrolling at Auburn earlier this year.
“You are going to want to buy tickets to watch him play,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “You're going to want to come to practice and watch him play and go, 'Really?' He's pretty good.”
Harper is already one of the team’s best 3-point shooters and has the ability to get up and down the floor quickly and distribute the basketball to his teammates.
Danjel Purifoy learned early that Harper shouldn’t be taken lightly just because of his size.
“When I first heard of Jared, I was like, ‘He’s not all that,’ because he’s so small. But when I had to guard him it was a different story,” Purifoy said. “He's real quick off the ball, getting to the goal, an unbelievable player.”
Harper is competing against graduate transfer Ronnie Johnson for the starting point guard position but it’s likely both will play plenty this season.
“We’re not worried about who’s starting or coming off the bench right now,” Harper said. “We’re just all getting ready and just focusing on our goals, and our goal is to make the tournament this year.”
In his first full-scale scrimmage Saturday, Harper finished with 13 points, nine assists and just one turnover. It’s a process but Harper said he’s picking up Pearl’s system fairly quickly.
“We’re just getting after it and being physical because that’s what he preaches. He wants us to play fast, athletic and use our skills to be successful,” Harper said.
Harper would like to earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team this season but his main focus is centered on getting Auburn’s program back playing in the postseason.
“I’m just going to come in every game, give it my 100 percent effort, do what I can do to contribute to the team and hopefully help everyone else contribute so we can win some games,” he said.
FULL SCRIMMAGE REPORT (Press release)
T.J. Dunans scored 36 points, LaRon Smith had 26 points and 11 rebounds and Danjel Purifoy and Mustapha Heron 22 points apiece in Auburn’s first intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday in Auburn Arena.
TJ Lang added 18 points on 3-of-7 3s, Ronnie Johnson 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals while Jared Harper totaled 13 points, nine assists and only one turnover. Anfernee McLemore had 9 points and 13 rebounds, and Horace Spencer 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.
“The pace was good,” said Pearl of the scrimmage that included a pair of 20-minute halves. “We have a lot of work to do physically and mentally. There are just a ton of new parts. I scrimmaged with officials the second day of practice because we have played so many few games together. It is the first time these guys are playing together. Too many fouls, not getting adjusted to hand checking, verticality and a lot of different things.
“I thought that Jared Harper, T.J. Dunans, Mustapha Heron, Danjel Purifoy and LaRon Smith, those five guys probably had the best day at their positions.”
Dunans, who scored 24 points in the second half, only missed three of his 19 shots from the field for the game and was 2-of-4 from 3-point range while dishing out five assists with three steals.
“I think we did well for the first scrimmage,” said Dunans. “We had nice chemistry. I felt good. I was trying to be in the right places on defense and be aggressive, attacking the glass and making the right pass.”
Smith, a Bethune-Cookman graduate transfer who ranked third in the nation in blocks and led the MEAC shooting 58.5 percent from the floor but only 26.5 percent from the foul line last season, was 7-of-9 from the floor and 12-of-15 from the free throw line.
“It was pretty good and a good look at the team,” said Smith. “I feel like we need to focus more on defense so that it going to be my main focus now. I had some other goals that I accomplished today so I feel pretty good.
“I am getting more confident with free throw shooting. So, once I knew I could make free throws, I feel like my low post game is going to come together because now I can draw fouls easy so that is going to help me out.”
Purifoy’s line included 8-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-10 from 3-point range as he had six rebounds, four assists, two steals, an assist and block.
Heron was 8-of-14 from the floor, 2-of-6 from behind the arc and made all four foul shots. The Waterbury, Conn., freshman also had seven rebounds and 20 of his points came in the second half in which the teams were evenly matched.
“I felt good,” said Heron. “My team got a good win, and I think we played hard on both ends of the floor. Of course, we have a lot of improvement to do before our first game, but I think we are rolling right now.
“I thought I played well. I was comfortable out there and as the days go on as we practice more, keeping working out and getting more comfortable and just trying to roll from here.”
The Tigers shot 56.5 percent from the floor, 39.1 percent from 3-point range and 69.2 percent from the foul line and had 28 assists to 17 turnovers with 15 steals.