Cards Grinning, Winning Harrison’s Enthusiasm Sparks Nic Men’s Team

Chances are you’ve met North Idaho College men’s basketball player Chris Harrison.

If you have ear drums.

“I was just on the phone with Coach (Hugh) Watson,” Harrison’s mother, Linda, relayed. “He said he walked across campus with Chris the other day and had to stop every 10 feet so Chris could visit.”

Harrison will talk to anybody, anytime, anywhere.

“People ask me, ‘Are you running for governor?”’ Chris said.

Well?

“No, I’m just an outgoing person,” Harrison said, grinning.

He’s a librarian’s nightmare. Nobody is a stranger to the Texas native who is NIC’s emotional barometer. That he’s a fine player almost gets hidden behind the myriad of smiles, shouts, taunts and laughs on the court.

“You look at the four games we lost and I’ll bet you he didn’t play well in those games,” NIC assistant coach Mark White said. “I was talking to a Snow coach a while ago who told me Harrison is the key to our team. Our guys just thrive off him.”

Harrison and the second-seeded Cardinals (24-4) open the Region 18 Tournament against Salt Lake at 8 tonight at Christianson Gym.

Harrison’s hyperactivity is usually positive and well-intentioned. Friends attest that Harrison doesn’t have a mean bone in his ample body.

In a December game, the 230-pound Harrison flopped onto the stage at Christianson Gym pursuing a loose ball and flicked it back to a teammate. As NIC went down court and scored, Harrison “just hung out with the pep band for a while.”

However, he’s been slapped with several technical fouls.

“I’ve tried to stop so bad,” said Harrison, who is being recruited by numerous schools and is leaning toward Brigham Young.

“Coach White and Coach Watson don’t mind as long as I’m doing it in a good way.”

Harrison mimics the antics of some of his favorite players, Chris Webber, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson. (Sure, Charles, you’re not a role model.)

“I remember at a high school tournament I was screaming so much one time my dad told me I wasn’t Larry Johnson,” said Harrison, whose parents at times literally had to eliminate sugar from his diet.

Growing up, Harrison attended private Christian schools.

“It taught me discipline and being around different cultures besides black people,” he said. “I don’t look at color. I look at people for what they are on the inside.

“I did well in school - and I got them to loosen up a little bit.”

He took to basketball early.

“When he was 3 or 4 and other kids were watching cartoons, he was watching sports,” Linda Harrison said. “He’s always been able to attract people to him. He’s friendly to everybody.”

Even when folks aren’t friendly to him. One has to pry before Harrison admits to having bad days, many of which came last year when he was an underused freshman at Jacksonville (Texas) College.

He recalls some of the saddest days of his life at a Thanksgiving tournament, a couple of days after his birthday.

“My parents drove 12 hours to watch me play,” he said as a rare frown formed. “In two days, I played about 3 minutes. I actually had a few tears come out of my eyes.”

At Jacksonville, he didn’t attempt a 3-pointer. The head coach required him to operate in the lane.

Harrison, Andre McKanstry, Shawn Myrick and assistant coach White left Jacksonville for NIC, where Harrison is in the top 15 in the league in 3-point percentage.

Harrison’s take on last season: “I thank the coaches at Jacksonville for everything. For every bad thing that they did to me, something good’s happened here.”

There’s been an abundance of good at NIC winning basketball, loads of friends and good conversation.

“Life is good, 99.5 percent of the time,” Harrison said.

Adds Mom: “He loves it. He’s found himself up there.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MEN’S BRACKET The schedule for the Region 18 men’s basketball tournament at NIC’s Christianson Gym: Today: Game 1: No. 4 Ricks vs. No. 5 Snow, noon; Game 2: No. 3 Utah Valley vs. No. 6 Dixie, 2 p.m.; Game 3: No. 1 Eastern Utah vs. No. 8 Southern Idaho, 6 p.m.; Game 4: No. 2 North Idaho vs. No. 7 Salt Lake, 8 p.m. Friday: Game 5: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 3, 2 p.m.; Game 6: Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 4, 8 p.m.. Saturday: Championship, 7 p.m.