(Edwardsville, IL) – Edwardsville’s favorite son has come home to take the reigns of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s basketball program. Jon Harris was a star prep player at nearby Edwardsville High School and was a stand out at Marquette University.
His coaching career took him from Marquette, to Wisconsin-Green Bay, Missouri State, Tennessee and California; mostly as an assistant to East St. Louis native Cuonzo Martin. At each and every stop, success followed, players graduated and relationships were formed.
I sat down with the second coach in SIUE’s Division 1 history. We started with questions about the ability to come ‘home’ to Edwardsville and his relationship with Cuonzo Martin. (Wait for the surprise at the end of the video)
One of the appealing things about the SIUE coaching job is the great talent readily available in the Southwestern Conference. Harris intends to harvest that field of talent. He wanted to point out his great respect for his former high school coach Mike Waldo, and he hopes to build a staff that places a high priority on teaching and developing relationships with players, families and the community.
Harris still has to prove he can make that move from assistant to head coach, but many (including this writer) believe he is the perfect man for this job. He has local and regional ties, a strong family pedigree, and he has worked under two successful, upper-level Division 1 head coaches. That collegiate work has been accomplished in several different leagues and environments, and the teams he has been a part of have won, and experienced success while gaining respect and demonstrating integrity.
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ICYMI: Semifinal # 2 today at #ArchMadness will feature a contrast of styles as # 5 @UIC_MBB faces # 4 @RacersHoops in the 2:30 game.
It's final: @UNImbb 68 @UEAthletics_MBB 59. The Panthers get @Redbird_MBB on Friday night. Campbell finishes with 23 points. Smith with a double-double. AJ Casey was great with 23 & 10. Panthers with 16 assists.
4:05 left: @UNImbb 57 @UEAthletics_MBB 54. Aces' ball. UNI upside? Campbell with 21 points. Down side - Bond 0/6 from deep. UE upside? Casey with 20 & 9. Down Side? 2/11 from deep in the second half. Anybody's game at #ArchMadness
7:25 left: @UNImbb 55 @UEAthletics_MBB 52. Trey Campbell with 21 points for the Panthers and AJ Casey with 18 for the Aces. Tristan Smith is such a game changer. He has 8 pts & 9 rebounds, but that doesn't tell the story. #ArchMadness
