COVINGTON, Ga. — There was a local tie with Newton County featured in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament this year. Armani Harris, a Newton High alumnus, was a member of Kennesaw State’s squad that advanced to the round of 32 this past season.
Kennesaw State finished at 26-9 along with the ASUN Conference Championship to claim the No. 14 seed. In the NCAA tournament, the Owls had a near upset of No. 3 seed Xavier, losing 72-67 on March 18.
In light of that, The Covington News got the chance to catch up with the former Ram to discuss his experience with the Owls and their trip to the big dance.
Q: How do you think this past season went?
AH: I feel like this season was great for everybody mentally and physically. In the preseason, we did a lot of team festivities. We would get together and try to be vulnerable with each other. First, we gotta get together in the games, too. If you’re not connected on the court, it doesn’t really mean anything at the end of the day. All of these are life lessons, in a way.
For this past season, I’m not going to say we overachieved. We made goals before the season and we accomplished those goals such as winning the ASUN conference championship, playing for one another and simply together every single day.
Q: You mentioned the ASUN Conference Championship…How sweet was it to win that?
AH: The championship was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had in my life. When I came into college, I was coach [Amir Abdur-Rahim’s] first recruit. So, during the first year with coach Abdur-Rahim, our team was 1-28. To go through what we went through and actually accomplish something our senior year was incredible for our team. It was cool to see everyone from Kennesaw come together to cheer us on.
Q: You and your team advanced to the NCAA tournament…What was that experience like? How did it compare to any experience you’ve had prior to that?
AH: I can’t really compare it to any other experience just due to the fact that it’s just one of those things that you’re so excited to play in it. You see it all the time on TV during March as a kid and, especially being a college player watching other teams play, and you’re wishing every day you can be in it. So, it was just a surreal feeling for everybody.
I would say I didn’t have any nerves getting into the game. I was so excited to be a part of this situation and, for it to be our first time in school history, you just want to embrace every single moment.
Q: What was the best part about the trip?
AH: I was talking to former guys like Ashton [Hagans], JD Notae, Isaiah Miller just seeing how it was to play in the tournament. Those guys were telling me, ‘You guys can Cinderella the thing. Be excited, because y’all are a part of something that’s great.’ It was just incredible to be a part of.
Q: Does one particular moment from the tournament stand out in your mind?
AH: It was during the game when we went up 13, it felt like the whole arena was yelling, “K-S-U!” — even fans who weren’t ours. That was one of those surreal feelings I had sitting there and I was like, ‘Wow. This is real. We’re here.’ It didn’t hit me until that moment.
Q: Talking about your entire career at KSU…Has playing for the Owls been what you expected it to be?
AH: I didn’t think coming in my first year we would be 1-28. If I had to be honest, there were times where I felt like, ‘Did I make the right decision?’ But being with Kennesaw State, we always kept each other up and we always talked about how our moment would come soon. I wouldn’t say it exceeded my expectations either because, coming from Newton, we were always a successful program, and it lowered my expectations a little bit. But each year, we kept getting better results.
First year, we won one game, second year we won three or four games, third year we won 13 games and this year we won 28 and won the championship and went to the tournament.
In a way, it felt like a roller coaster, but you always gotta see the beauty in the struggle through it all.
Q: How do you think you’ve grown the most in your time at Kennesaw State?
AH: I’ve grown the most in being a leader on and off the court. I’m always picking up my teammates and getting them full of energy. And I’m always ready when my number is called. I’ve gone through a lot of changes throughout my career. So, in a way, it’s grown me as a man to always be prepared.
In my career here, I feel like I’ve made a lot of friends and I feel like a lot of people at Kennesaw State see that as well. I don’t feel like I go unnoticed. I feel like I've solidified myself here at Kennesaw State for a long time.
Q: How do you feel Newton High School prepared you for college basketball?
AH: When I was under coach Ras (Rick Rasmussen), he would always talk to me. In high school, I was a very emotional player and he was telling me, ‘You can show emotion, but don’t be emotional.’ I have to give credit to him. I feel like they prepared me off the court, too, to keep my academics up. When I came to high school at first, I didn’t take my academics seriously. So, when I came to college, I made it a fresh start. It was good for me in the long run, and now I have a backup plan just in case basketball is not there.
Q: You have two years of eligibility left to play college basketball…What’s next?
AH: I really haven’t given much thought about that due to the fact of many changes here at Kennesaw State. Right now, I’m just where my feet are at and we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, if anything else happens. But I haven’t made any decisions. Kennesaw State is my home right now, so I’m hoping to stay here.
Q: You’ll graduate this semester with a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology. You also have plans to pursue a master’s in public administration. What are the plans with those degrees?
AH: My main goals are to help other people and at the same time to help put people in position to make more money or to help them gain more knowledge. Other than that, I’d like to see what real estate is talking about or running a corporation and being in HR or being a CEO of a corporation working my way up.
Q: You’re originally from Brooklyn, New York, but you moved to Newton County when you were 13 years old. What, in your opinion, makes Newton County a special place?
AH: Me being from Brooklyn and coming to Newton County was a big change for me at first. But they always welcome people with love. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without Newton County. I still love my people in Brooklyn, but Newton County is where I reside, it’s my home. The area produces so many athletes as well. They do a great job of changing bad kids to great kids, especially at Newton High School. Credit goes to Dr. Buff, Miss Hall and Miss Brown. And to coach Browner, too. Congratulations to him. He’s been doing a good job of working his way up.
The guys in Newton County are doing a special thing over there.
