Dunbar High School freshman point guard Amos “A.J.” Harris and Franklin freshman wing Luke Kennard have had much success while traveling the country since joining the AAU powerhouse Cincinnati Knights as third-graders.
In addition to winning numerous regional tournaments, they led the squad to a runner-up national finish in 2010 and a sixth-place showing in July. They’ve formed such a tight bond over the years and complement each other so well that they plan to remain teammates through the rest of their high school summers and possibly beyond that.
“Me and Luke were talking about it already, that we’d probably stay together during college,” Harris said.
“It doesn’t matter (where), just so we stay together.”
Harris and Kennard haven’t scored a single basket at the varsity level, but their play on the national stage has attracted an impressive list of college programs seemingly willing to accommodate them.
Harris, a 5-foot-8 left-hander who is projected to be Dunbar’s starting point guard this season, received his first scholarship offer from the University of Dayton this summer. He’s made an unofficial visit to UD and has another planned this fall to West Virginia. He’s also being recruited by Ohio State, Michigan, Virginia and Xavier, among others.
Kennard, a 6-4½ lefty who led his junior high to a two-year record of 35-0, is being courted by UD and visited the school this summer along with his parents and Franklin coach Brian Bales. Michigan hosted Kennard on a visit, and he has an upcoming trip scheduled to Ohio State. He’s also hearing from Cincinnati, Xavier, Indiana and North Carolina.
“I think it’s pretty crazy, getting all this right now,” Kennard said. “I’m just focused on Franklin and being a good teammate and working hard and trying to make our team better.”
The pair are among four area players being sought by UD.
Middletown sophomore wing Vincent Edwards and Springboro junior post Maverick Morgan have scholarship offers from the Flyers. Morgan and Kennard are the most familiar with the program, having attended a slew of games.
“All the fans are awesome. It’s a great experience. It’d be awesome to play there,” Kennard said.
Harris is glad to hear the Flyers will adopt his brand of ball under new coach Archie Miller.
“They play my type of game — up-tempo,” he said. “I like going there. They help you out with anything. They’re like a family.”
Although the Wolverines have a gifted senior point guard in Andre Yates, who is one of UD’s top targets in the 2012 class, coach Pete Pullen plans to move Yates to the 2 spot and play Harris at the 1.
“(Harris) handles the ball equally well with both hands,” Pullen said. “He sees the floor. He has speed and he can score himself. He can get into the lane and knows how to finish.”
A recruiting report on ESPN.com said of Harris: “When you talk about 2015 prospects, there may not be a better player in the state. Harris has a rare combination of skill, athleticism and toughness.”
The website called Kennard “a skilled and versatile wing with major potential.”
Bales, the Franklin coach, appreciates Kennard’s desire to get better.
“He’s a gym rat. He just loves being in the gym. ... He gets it. He’s got a chance to be a really special player,” Bales said.
Big East offer: Springboro's Maverick Morgan made unofficial visits to Ohio State and West Virginia during the first football weekend Sept. 3-5 and hobnobbed with OSU coach Thad Matta and WVU's Bob Huggins at those games.
“It’s so awesome,” Morgan said. “I was with Thad Matta and (assistant Jeff) Boals the whole time. It’s just amazing. With coach Huggins, we went tailgating, and then I was tailgating with the players.
“We were kind of jumping around from tailgate to tailgate. They’re like celebrities down there.”
While OSU said it was still evaluating Morgan, WVU came through with a scholarship offer.
The 6-10 Morgan has a visit scheduled this weekend to Southern Cal and another to Virginia Tech after that.
Asked if he still has interest in UD, Morgan said: “Yeah, totally. Dayton’s great. I’ve grown up my whole life loving Dayton and going to Dayton games.”
Mighty Middie: Vincent Edwards' lone scholarship offer so far is from UD, but the son of former Wright State star Bill Edwards is drawing high-major interest. He plans to make an unofficial visit to Michigan and likely one to Ohio State this fall.
Edwards said his dream school is Kentucky (no word from the Wildcats yet). But most players remember their first scholarship the way they do their first kiss, and the 6-6 wing is no different.
“I was kind of shocked, but I felt pretty good inside ... I’m pretty sure I’ll be staying in touch with Dayton,” he said.
He started on the varsity as a freshman last season, averaging eight points.
“He’s extremely gifted as a player,” first-year Middletown coach Josh Andrews said. “Obviously, he has great genes and has had a basketball in his hands, it sounds like, since he came out of the womb.
“He’s an unselfish player, wants to win. He’s self-motivated. To be as young as he is and have the maturity and basketball mind that he does may be the most impressive thing about him.”