The go to lasted almost 4 hours.
Ron Harper Jr. and his mom, Maria, toured Rutgers’ campus and met with members of the basketball program. Harper, who was about to start his senior yr at Don Bosco Prep, was not closely recruited on the time.
But right here he was, an hour away from residence, with a chance to play within the Massive Ten for a coach and a program that noticed his potential.
Once they returned to their automotive, Maria mentioned Ron ought to give a one-sentence response, after which she would give hers.
“His was, ‘I like it right here,’” Maria recalled. “I paused and I mentioned, ‘So do I.’”
The subsequent day, she known as Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell and informed him she was trusting him along with her son.
That was the start of a outstanding journey.
Harper purchased into Pikiell’s imaginative and prescient of reviving a downtrodden program, of turning it into one which New Jersey may very well be pleased with, and he finally grew to become a central determine within the resurgence.
He established an unquestioned legacy.
Harper and Rutgers’ seniors on Sunday shall be honored throughout a Senior Day ceremony previous to their regular-season finale in opposition to Penn State at Jersey Mike’s Area, doubtlessly the ultimate time Harper fits up in entrance of Rutgers’ raucous residence crowd.
Harper may return for one more yr, however mentioned he doesn’t know what his future shall be past this season. He mentioned he’s approaching this as his final residence sport as a result of it’s the final one he’ll have with this present staff.
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“Who is aware of what the longer term holds?” Harper mentioned. “I’m simply frightened about ending robust with these guys who sacrificed a lot to be right here.”
Harper, presently ranked 14th on Rutgers’ all-time scoring listing with 1,475 factors, helped the Scarlet Knights break their 30-year NCAA Match drought. He’s knocked down highlight-reel photographs – from his halfcourt, buzzer-beating heave to beat then-top ranked Purdue in December to his successful three-pointer in opposition to Indiana on Wednesday — and he confirmed why recruiting rankings might be so tenuous.
‘He simply needed a chance’
Kevin Diverio remembers the eye-opening performs Harper would sometimes make as a highschool sophomore, however it was the next yr that the Don Bosco Prep head coach knew Harper had potential to play at a excessive degree.
These performs grew to become frequent.
“To me his greatest attribute is his capacity to play inside-outside, actually versatile participant at each ends of the ground,” Diverio mentioned. “I assumed he may very well be actually good.”
Harper averaged 10.1 factors per sport as a junior. He helped lead the Ironmen to a state championship and an look within the Match of Champions ultimate.
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Harper clearly was an influence participant, however main school packages weren’t noticing.
“I felt like after I had the prospect that I might present the world what I may do,” mentioned Harper, who was rated simply two stars.
Maria Harper remembers solely a handful of Division I colleges displaying curiosity. The one high-major program to take action on the time was Nebraska. The thought of enjoying so distant from residence didn’t attraction extremely to both Maria or her son.
“However when Rutgers got here into the image, we have been flattered,” Maria mentioned. “We knew what they have been attempting to construct down in Piscataway, and to have the chance to assist construct a program and revive it was one thing that he was undoubtedly taken with.”
And Pikiell, not a coach who places a lot in recruiting rankings, was taken with Harper.
Pikiell watched Harper play and witnessed the flexibility Diverio noticed each day. He noticed Harper’s body and envisioned what it may turn out to be below the tutelage of energy and conditioning coach David VanDyke.
Pikiell additionally favored that Harper performed for only one highschool and one AAU program – Ring Metropolis, based by Maria.
“That set him aside from 95 p.c of the children I used to be recruiting,” Pikiell mentioned.
At a time when so many children transfer round searching for conditions they consider will assist them stand out essentially the most, Harper embraced the problem of incomes his future.
“He simply needed a chance,” Pikiell mentioned. “We believed in him. I liked his skillset, I assumed he had an opportunity. However all of the work he needed to do, that’s a part of it too.”
Rutgers offered the right match. It additionally supplied a chance.
“He was so excited to be a Scarlet Knight, excited to characterize his state and hopefully earlier than his time was over at Rutgers for it to be a spot the place extra New Jersey athletes need to attend and keep residence and need to characterize their state,” Maria mentioned. “I feel in a nutshell he’s been ready to do this.”
After Harper joined, Bayonne native and Gill St. Bernard’s product Paul Mulcahy picked Rutgers, whereas Roselle Catholic grad Cliff Omoruyi additionally selected to remain in New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights have additionally signed Lenape Excessive College guard Derek Simpson as a part of their 2022 recruiting class.
“We have now a whole lot of nice expertise in New Jersey so I simply need to see children keep residence and make Rutgers a severe alternative once they find yourself committing,” Ron mentioned. “Being from New Jersey, I take a whole lot of pleasure in that.”
Constructing his legacy
Harper, together with level guard Geo Baker, has been a catalyst in Rutgers’ resurgence the final three seasons.
In serving to the Scarlet Knights emphatically break their NCAA Match drought, Harper concurrently grew to become some of the formidable gamers in school basketball.
“I feel lots of people questioned whether or not he may play at that degree,” Diverio mentioned, “and I feel he’s answered that query and past.”
His final identify introduced its personal consideration, its personal strain. Harper needed to indicate that he isn’t simply the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr.
“So far as dwelling as much as his father’s identify or the legacy, he has a aggressive edge and all the time needed to show that, ‘Hey hear, although my father had a terrific profession, I’m my very own man,’” Maria mentioned. “As he began to mature and due to among the profitable moments that he has had, I feel he’s been in a position to now embrace that it’s just like the each of greatest worlds.”
Maria mentioned she and Harper share a saying after each sport: By no means too excessive, by no means too low. It retains Harper grounded and humble by the ups and downs of a season.
This season, particularly, has included loads of these.
Rutgers suffered stunning losses, however loved outstanding victories. Harper garnered nationwide consideration for his shot in opposition to Purdue – he nonetheless went to his 8 a.m. sports activities media class the next day.
However Harper remembers that sport for extra his personal heroics.
“Past the shot, past what occurred, seeing that ultimate rating that we beat the No. 1 staff within the nation, we proved rather a lot to ourselves that we may play with anyone within the nation,” Harper mentioned. “I feel that win, within the second it modified the notion of how we considered ourselves in all honesty.”
Harper helped the Scarlet Knights revive their season, in an identical manner he as soon as helped revive the complete program.
Rutgers is chasing a second consecutive NCAA Match look. Just a few years in the past, contemplating how far this system had fallen, such an achievement would’ve been unfathomable.
However Harper stayed residence, stayed in New Jersey. He trusted Pikiell’s imaginative and prescient.
Harper’s place in Rutgers lore is cemented.
“I’m simply completely happy to be part of it,” Harper mentioned. “I’ve seen this program make strides in the suitable course. And I all the time say after I come right here, I need to depart understanding that children from New Jersey suppose it’s cool to go to Rutgers once more. I feel I’m doing simply that.”
Electronic mail: iseman@northjersey.com Twitter: @chrisiseman