Sophomore Kyle Harris was on campus yesterday for his signing.  The 6'5 forward from Boulder Creek High School spent 3 years at PC, the majority of it as a starter.  His hard work paid off as he received a scholarship to continue playing basketball.  We caught up with him after the signing to ask him a few questions.

What school will you be attending this fall?

South Dakota School of the Mines

Where is the school located?

Rapid City, South Dakota

What level and conference do they play in?

Division 2 school in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC)

What made you choose that school?

It was the first school that offered me, but I was very impressed with them; not only with the basketball, but also the academics. It is a very good school and it has a great reputation.

How long was the recruitment?

The recruitment was short. They got straight to the point and probably within a week of them reaching out to me we had a visit planned and the plane tickets bought.

Which coaches recruited you?

Coach Trennepohl was the main coach who recruited me. He, much like Coach Glenn has a really good basketball mind and seems to have a great relationship with his players.

What are they expecting you to contribute?

They are expecting me to play tough and bring them help in getting to the basket and finishing inside as well as defending and rebounding.

When did you visit the school? How was the campus, the facilities, and the city?

I visited the school in early April and was very impressed with all of those things. The campus has a ton of resources to help you succeed academically. The facilities are very nice and one of the things I was most impress by was their training room and all the things that are accessible in there. Although I was only there for 2 days, Rapid City was a fun city to stay in, but the surrounding area is where a lot of the activities such as hiking happen.

What did you like best about your visit?

I would say I liked the amount of people that are there to help you. I met at least three people whose main job is to help athletes with whatever they need from tutoring to counselling.

Did you meet the players? If so, how was the interaction?

Yes, I got to meet the players as we saw them walking around campus and after we played pick up, we went out to dinner. They seem like a great group of guys and the interaction I had with them is a big reason I was comfortable committing there.

You played pick up with them; what was that like and how do you feel you compared?

Yes, we got to play about an hour of 5 on 5. I really enjoyed playing with them and I think I fit well with not only what they are good at, but also helping them improve where they need me to. They have a ton of really good shooters so I am really looking forward to having them on my team next season.

How did your 3 years prepare you for this next step?

For me it was a very crazy three years due to the fact that I opted out once COVID started getting bad. I will say that being at PC helped me grow a ton in terms of matureness of knowing what type of work ethic it takes to succeed at what you want to do not only in basketball but in all aspects of life.

How does their play and coaching style compare to Coach Eason's

They are somewhat similar in terms of intensity they want to have on defense and how they want their players attacking the basket and playing off two feet. The main different I would say is that they run a lot of ball screens for basically everybody on the perimeter so that is something that will take some time to get used to. I really like the way that Coach Glenn teaches and interacts with his players so I am very excited to get to work.

What will you major in?

I will major in Science, Technology, and Society

Any final thoughts?

I am just thankful for Coach Eason and my time at PC as I have made lifelong friends in the teammates I've had and definitely feel that I have become a better person and a basketball player.

After speaking with Kyle, we asked Coach Eason he thoughts on Kyle's future.  Coach Eason was very excited about the opportunity for Kyle to continue his playing career.  "A lot of kids have their careers end at the junior college level, so seeing Kyle get a scholarship makes me happy," Coach Eason responded.  "Kyle is a hard worker and takes every opportunity presented to him, "Coach Eason said.  "When I recruited him, it was to be a redshirt, so he could develop for a year, and then play the following year.  However, he out performed the guys brought in a head of him, and became a starter.  South Dakota School of Mines got themselves a winner."

Kyle was joined at the signing by his mother, father and Coach Eason.

Kyle Harris PC Career Numbers

Games: 61 (59 Starts)

Points: 512 (8.4 ppg)

Shooting: 40% FG% (45.8% in 21-22)              30% 3FG% (37% in 21-22)                  61% FT% (66.7 in 21-22)

Rebounds: 385 (6.3 rpg)

Assists: 112 (1.8 apg)

Steals: 74 (1.2 spg)