Freshman guard Jordan Harris didn’t see action in Georgia’s season-opener against Clemson. Nearly three weeks later, the amount of playing time has changed drastically for the former four-star guard.
As the Bulldogs (5-2) continue preparation for their showdown Sunday with Big East representative Marquette, a recent topic of conversation has been the increase in action and production for Harris, one of two first-year players for Georgia.
Entering the season, the expectation among the media was that his freshman counterpart Tyree Crump would be the one to provide a spark for Georgia. Those expectations have been flipped thus far, and Harris has seen the most playing time, averaging 12.8 minutes per game.
Despite a small sample size, Harris has been efficient offensively, shooting 12-for-18 from the field and 5-of-7 from behind the arc. Seeing at least 10 minutes of action in five of Georgia’s first seven games have allowed Harris the opportunity to ease into the system.
“I’m gaining plenty of confidence every time I step on the court,” said Harris, who scored 11 points in Wednesday's win over Morehouse. “I have to keep getting better, take my coaches' advice and work on the small things.”
Georgia’s team has struggled to find consistent offensive production from other sources than J.J. Frazier and Yante Maten, and it has seemed to be a different Bulldog that assumes that role each night. Harris, currently sitting as the team’s fifth-leading scorer, could become a more viable option.
Frazier, standing as the elder statesman of the point guard group. The senior leads Harris and Crump, along with sophomore William “Turtle” Jackson. As the eighth game of the season approaches, Frazier is pleased with the improvements from his backcourt mates.
“The chemistry between the guards has improved,” Frazier said. “We’ve battled through adversity as a team, but it’s been good for us. Our young guys are coming along and have played well as of late. We have to continue to build off of that.”
Head coach Mark Fox said after Georgia’s season-opening loss that freshmen were going to have to earn their minutes. Thus, it seems as if Harris has earned that trust due to his increased action.
The Bulldogs’ head man is pleased with the guard’s development. However, Fox also indicates the worry with freshman blunders, such as a costly turnover in crucial minutes during the loss to Kansas.
“He’s working harder after being here for a while and learning what it takes,” Fox said. “He’s more comfortable with what we’re trying to do. He keeps getting better every week, and if he continues to get better then he can be a good player.”
The same can be said for Crump, who continues to fight for significant minutes. His defensive concerns were cited to begin the season, and Fox would like to see more refinement while displaying pleasure with his game, although he led Georgia with 16 points in Wednesday’s win.
“They’re on a different trajectory, and maybe improving in different parts of the game,” Fox said. “But they’re both getting better, and they’ll have teachable moments as freshman. It showed (in the Morehouse game), getting his pocket picked and giving up a layup. Then, he didn’t miss a shot. They’re young kids that keep getting better.”
