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Dante Harvey maximizing potential early for 12th-ranked Hawks
By Jim O'Hara
ROME – Having ability is one thing. Knowing how to use it makes all the difference.
That’s what Shorter University junior Dante Harvey has found out over the past month as the 6-foot-8 forward from Atlanta has heeded the words of his teammates and coaches to blend his God-given basketball talent with a determined mindset and become a key component for the No. 12-ranked Hawks in the early stages of the 2011-12 season.
“Dante’s talent has never been an issue – God blessed him with ability,” Shorter head coach Chad Warner said of Harvey, who has emerged as an inside force for the unbeaten Hawks. “But now Dante has matured. Last spring [after the season ended] we had a heart-to-heart talk and challenged him. He’s responded.”
Harvey’s increase in production from last year tells the story.
Last season, while trying to find his niche at Shorter after transferring from NCAA Division I Tennessee-Chattanooga, Harvey averaged 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds a game – solid numbers, but numbers the coaching staff believed were not worthy of his potential.
That’s when Warner had his chat with the soft-spoken big man, a discussion that after Harvey’s meeting with his teammates once Shorter was denied what many believed to be a deserving at-large bid into the national tournament.
“After last season, the team told me they needed me to fill a big role,” said Harvey. “So mentally, I came into this season free-minded.”
Harvey’s focus combined with his ability has made Harvey a potent threat for the 6-0 Hawks. He connected for 43 points in Shorter’s first two games and is averaging 17.1 points heading into tonight’s non-conference tilt at Reinhardt.
In addition to his increased point production, Harvey is pulling down 8.1 rebounds a night and connecting on a phenomenal 66 percent of his shots from the floor. That figure includes a deft shooting touch from long range where he has canned 7 of 14 shots from 3-point range.
“When we’ve asked him to do something, he’s been great,” said Warner. “We’re very happy with his production, but more than that, we’re happy with how coachable he’s been.”
Harvey’s arrival at Shorter comes after he tested the waters elsewhere.
Harvey is a former standout at Columbia High where he led the team to a 31-7 record and an appearance in the Georgia Class AAAA state championship game in 2007. After originally committing to play at Toledo, Harvey spent a year playing post-graduate ball at Progressive Christian Academy in Camp Springs, Md., averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds per game.
That performance opened the door to Chattanooga. As a member of the Moccasins, Harvey appeared in 42 games in two years, making one start and averaging 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds. At the same time, however, Harvey had to cope with injuries.
“I enjoyed playing there, but I got hurt a lot,” said Harvey, who was sidelined during his time with the Mocs due to an injured knee, wrist and foot. “It was very competitive in practice because everybody was fighting for playing time.”
Shorter entered into the picture thanks to one of Harvey’s former teammates at Chattanooga, Qavotstaraj Waddell, who transferred from UTC to Shorter in 2009.
“I knew ‘Q’ and he liked coming here,” said Harvey. “I also knew [former Shorter NAIA All-American] Marqise Wright and I played AAU ball with [current teammate] Walter Hill. So I had a feel for Shorter.”
Ironically, a slow start to this season from Hill, Shorter’s All-America small forward, made it clear to Harvey that the team truly needed him to raise his game.
“The team is built around Walter,” Harvey said. “But when he got into foul trouble early on, I knew I needed to step it up.”
Collectively, the Hawks have stepped things up, a philosophy that the entire team came to encompass after being upset by Faulkner in the first round of the SSAC Tournament last spring and seeing their season come to a sudden halt.
“That was devastating,” Harvey said about the tourney loss to Faulkner. “But over the summer we spent a lot of time together and we bonded.”
Prior to the Thanksgiving break, the Hawks avenged that defeat when they beat Faulkner in an SSAC East-West crossover game. The very next day, Shorter dispatched SSAC West power Auburn-Montgomery to avenge an upset loss in the SSAC Tournament two years ago.
“The win over Faulkner was big because they spoiled last year for us,” said Harvey. “The next night [against AUM] we responded again and jumped out early against them.”
“It definitely got us off to a good start,” Warner said about the crossover sweep. “But we had a good start last year. These early games expose the things we have to work on.”
More than anything, Harvey and the Hawks understand that they have to keep everything in perspective this time around as they chase that elusive nationals berth.
“Last year we were looking too far ahead to the national tournament and Kansas City,” said Harvey. “This year we are taking it one step at a time.”
