Recruiting Roundup: Pensacola's Harris Signs With SHC, Catholic's Gaston Commits To Georgia Tech

Terrence Harris has hosted a number of signing ceremonies during his tenure as athletic director and head coach for Pensacola High School men's basketball.

However, the latest incident had a much deeper meaning. Last Thursday, in front of the school's media center, he proudly watched his son Brian sign his intent to take basketball to the next level.

Brian Harris will bring his talents to Division II Spring Hill College. Jonah Carter also signed that day for the team, which will play next year at John Melvin University, a small college in Crawley, Louisiana.

"Honestly, I just ran out of feelings in the last game of the season with some of these guys, especially Brian," Terrence Harris said. "They work so hard to make their dreams come true. That's something that the rest of the team, the community and other players can say, 'Hey, if you work hard you can chase your dreams and keep playing.'

"It's like a dream come true," Carter said. "I've dreamed about it since I was a kid."

'A dream come true': Pensacola Grad Isaiah Gaines enjoys FAU's final four run

NPC Winter All-Area 2023: Which basketball players and coaches are honored?

Brian Harris earned a spot on the NPC All-Area Second Team and is coming off a big campaign to lead the Tigers in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.3 rpg). He was also second in the region with three-pointers (71).

Listed at 6-foot-5, it was the forward's small size and shooting ability that caught the attention of college programs. He received interest from Division I Chicago I-State and Division II Albany State, but instead headed to Mobile to play for the Badgers.

Terrence Harris, who enjoyed a stellar playing career at the University of West Florida, never pushed his son into a sport in which he excelled. But when he saw his son go through a similar growth spurt in his youth, he thought basketball would suit him.

"At some point you're going to want to play basketball because you're going to be taller than most guys," Terrence Harris recalled. "In third and ninth grade it wasn't that big, but gradually it started to grow. Within a year and a half it had a growth spurt of between seven and nine inches.

During a preseason visit to Spring Hill, Brian Harris was invited to participate in team practice, which acted as a catalyst for his efforts.

"When they invited me to train with their friends, it felt like home," she says. "People took me in, coaches took me in and showed me how well I fit into their system."

The senior Tigers could be a weapon with the Badgers because of their ability to shoot off the dribble and the spot. His shooting determination was the biggest addition to his game last season, but he knows there is still plenty of room for improvement.

"I really need to develop to become a complete player when the shots aren't going, both defensively and getting my teammates more involved," says Brian Harris.

Whether this promotion is sudden or ongoing, the future CHS department will take home parenting advice to guide them through their college years.

Brian Harris said of what he learned from his father: "I love the process. Right or wrong, I love every moment of it. Don't take it for granted."

Meanwhile, Carter had a season averaging 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. But the power of perspectives goes beyond numbers. The 6-3 big guard boasts improved athleticism for his size, which comes in handy when attacking the paint.

"When you see him play, he can finish on the rim. He can finish either right-handed or left-handed," Terrence Harris said. "Once he went down, it was hard to stop him from going to the basket. . . . That's one of the things I'm trying to get out of in this film culture. I was like, 'Listen, there's nothing stopping you from going. to the basket." You can go all the way with the best of them.

Carter says he's been in the sport since he was 2, which is why he wears number 2. Last year was his only season at Pensacola after being traded by Booker T Washington.

Terence Harris addressed the crowd gathered in the media center, noting that Carter didn't have a strong work ethic when he first joined the Tigers, but the guard held his own over the course of the season .

"It's been a great trip," Carter said. "Obviously it was a completely new experience, but I really enjoyed playing for him."

Earlier this spring, two Pensacola Catholic multi-sport stars announced their collegiate commitments.

After helping the Crusaders to a 10-win season in 2022, freshman quarterback DeMontray Gaston has committed to Georgia Tech. Elsewhere, in the midst of his first season at Catholic, Colton Gillott announced his commitment to play baseball at Duke.

"It's cool, I'm happy to be involved," Gaston said.

In the season that saw Pensacola Catholic reach the regional semifinals, he finished at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds with 37 total tackles (4.0 tackles for loss) with two sacks and one interception. On offense, he had 23 catches for 292 yards and five touchdowns.

Gaston was an asset on both ends of the field, but was recruited by the Yellow Jackets as a midfielder. Georgia Tech was the first Division I school to send him a match offer in January 2022. That's when Gaston decided to get serious about his game.

"I just try to do off-season bodybuilding and powerlifting and bulk up," she says. "I worked with my coaches and honed my craft."

Last season, the midfielder showed his versatility playing inside and outside the penalty area. He also gained a reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the area.

Several other programs, such as Tulane, Memphis, Georgia State, Southern Miss, and South Florida soon followed with offers. Ultimately, the competition for his services was between Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. After the deacons fulfill their obligations to his class, Gaston decides his future lies in Atlanta.

"I thought there was no point in waiting any longer, so I just pulled the trigger," she said. "I'm so excited. It's going to be a change. I grew up in Pensacola my whole life and playing in a big city will be a big change.

Guillot made a strong transition to Catholicism after playing at Lighthouse Private Christian Academy last season.

This season, the starting pitcher/first baseman hit .294 on Tuesday with a pair of homers, 12 RBI and 12 runs scored. He appeared on the mound in two games, allowing one opponent a 176 strikeout average.

Guillott was named a Rawlings/Perfect Game Underclass Florida Area All-American, and is the eighth player in the class of 2026 according to Perfect Game.

Patrick Bernadio is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News-Journal. He can be reached at (850) 503-3828, on Twitter @PatBernadeau, or by email at pbernadeau@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared in the Pensacola News Journal: Recruiting: PHS Harris Signs with SHC, Gaston Catholics Commits to Georgia Tech