Illinois Basketball: Illini commit Sencire Harris is a special talent

It is easy for Illinois basketball fans to get caught up in the drama of what Kofi Cockburn is going to do or if the coveted transfer will land in Champaign.

In the midst of all of this drama, the Illini were able to land a player named Sencire Harris. We should all be getting used to that name because Harris is going to be a staple in the life of every Illinois basketball fan here in a couple of years.

Harris committed to the Illini back on July 3 and is one of the gems assistant coach Chester Frazier has been able to land since joining the program within the last few months. Harris, a four-star recruit and the No. 93 player in the 2022 class, is going to be an instant impact player once he joins the Orange and Blue. But the superstar guard isn’t finished at the high school level just yet.

Illinois basketball fans need to get excited about the leadership and winning mindset Harris is bringing to the program.

The superstar northeast Ohio native just finished up his junior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, the home that LeBron James built. Harris is blazing his own trail and stepping out of the giant shadows left by James, though.

As a junior, Harris showed the world why he has earned a top 100 recruiting ranking. He was a crucial part of the DII Championship run by the Fighting Irish that saw the program take home another state title. This wasn’t just a solid title run, though. St. Vincent-St. Mary dismantled the competition.

In the seven postseason games this past season, the Fighting Irish had an average margin of victory of 38.7 points in each win. Let that sink in for a moment. Each game averaged a near 40-point victory for Harris’ team. In the midst of the barnstorming by St. Vincent-St. Mary, the most competitive game was in the state title where they beat St. Francis DeSales by a mere 22 points in a 72-50 win.

Harris was a big part of the Fighting Irish run as a junior, and his numbers when it came to the State Semifinal and the State Final shows why he was such an important piece to the puzzle.

In the State Semifinal victory over Lima Shawnee, which St. Vincent-St. Mary won 71-42, Harris managed to put up a stat line of 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 block while only having two turnovers on the night. His points, steals and blocks led the team and he was second on the team in +/- at +33 for the night.

Heading into the State Final, Harris had a chance to show off his all-around game, as future Ohio State Buckeye Malaki Branham led the way in the scoring department with 37 points for the Fighting Irish. Harris knows what it takes to win the game, though. He would end the night with 5 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks while only turning the ball over one time.

Harris led St. Vincent-St. Mary in the State Final in rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He also managed to have a +/- of +21 in the State Final, which also led the team.

Let that soak in Illini Nation. We are getting a player who, as a junior, was arguably the best player on a St. Vincent-St. Mary team that won the DII Championship in the state of Ohio by obliterating the competition. When it came down to crunch time, Harris performed at his best and did what it took to win the game.

In 2022, Illinois is receiving one of the most well-rounded players I have seen come through the program. I am excited to see what Harris can do for the Orange and Blue. Also, don’t be shocked if he moves up the national recruiting rankings over the next year or so. Harris is easily a top 50 recruit.