Return to the "POINTER VIEW"
                         March 8, 2002

What does the future hold for Army men's basketball?

Commentary by Jim Fox
Staff Writer

Army men’s basketball is heading in a new direction.

What that is we don’t know just yet, but Army Director of Athletics Rick Greenspan has begun another national search for a coach.

Monday afternoon Greenspan informed Army men’s basketball coach Pat Harris that his contract would not be extended.

This, in and of itself, was not necessarily unexpected. It was common knowledge that Harris was fighting for his job this year, his fifth and final on his contract.

Over his five years here Harris’ squads have shown improvement. They posted 12 wins this year, their highest total in seven years and garnered a 6-8 record in Patriot League play. That is their highest win total in the 12 years the Black Knights have competed in the league.

Harris was even named by his peers as "Patriot League Coach of the Year" March 1 for his efforts in helping turn Army basketball onto the right track.

But all of this year’s accomplishments weren’t enough.

Once again, Army was eliminated in the first round of the league tournament Saturday night and, once again, one began to feel that another "national search" for a new coach might be on the horizon.

Harris is a 1979 USMA grad and was the point guard on former Army and current Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s teams. He has been in the Army or at West Point almost ever since.

Who else can step in with the knowledge of academy life and just pick up where Harris left off?

That question will remain unanswered until the press conference to announce Harris’ replacement.

The Black Knights were looking up and now will more than likely end up rebuilding for a few years.

Wouldn’t Harris give Army basketball a better up side over the next few years and into the foreseeable future?

Apparently not.

Greenspan wants to shoot for the bigger upside for the long term.

Army is, after all, about building winners.

Who is brought in -- and the success Army basketball has in the near future -- will ultimately determine whether we look back at the end of the Harris years and wonder what might have been.