Spring Break
So long Scottie
Marc Gauthier
Issue date: 6/15/09 Section: Sports
I'll never forget one of the first times I watched Scottie Haralson play. It was November 28, 2008 and the Huskies were playing Bryant University at the XL Center.
The game was a blowout and, with only a few minutes left in the second half, coach Jim Calhoun started putting in the reserves. Haralson was one of them.
In the previous two games, Haralson had taken five three-pointers and missed just as many. As the minutes went by in the Bryant game, Haralson threw up two more threes, missing both of them - badly.
Fast forward to the final seconds of the game. Senior walk-on Johnnie Bird was dribbling out the clock ball like any team up 30 points would do at the end of a blowout.
But with less than five seconds to go, Bird passed the ball to Haralson, who fired up a three-pointer from the corner. It all happened so quickly.
Ball. Hoop. Swish. Buzzer. Loud cheers from the crowd. Calhoun shakes head. Haralson celebrates. Calhoun gives death stare. Haralson, team walk off court.
In his defense, he was a freshman. We all make mistakes, right?
But in reality, Haralson was supposed to save UConn basketball from its three-point shooting woes. He was talked up as the next great UConn three-point specialist. He was compared to the likes of sharpshooter Rashad Anderson who ended his career with 276 threes, the most in UConn history.
It seemed like the 6-foot-4 guard from Jackson, Miss., had a promising future with coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies.
But as the Huskies slowly worked toward their most successful season since 2004, Haralson got lost in the shuffle.
In total, Haralson saw 50 minutes of playing time.
In practices, he shot the lights out.
In games, he shot 30 percent.
But now, Haralson doesn't have to live up to the expectations. Now, he isn't the next Rashad Anderson. Now, it doesn't matter how well he shoots in practice, or how terribly he shoots in games.
None of this matters because Haralson is gone. Earlier this month, Haralson announced he was transferring to the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma - a Husky turned Golden Hurricane.
The game was a blowout and, with only a few minutes left in the second half, coach Jim Calhoun started putting in the reserves. Haralson was one of them.
In the previous two games, Haralson had taken five three-pointers and missed just as many. As the minutes went by in the Bryant game, Haralson threw up two more threes, missing both of them - badly.
Fast forward to the final seconds of the game. Senior walk-on Johnnie Bird was dribbling out the clock ball like any team up 30 points would do at the end of a blowout.
But with less than five seconds to go, Bird passed the ball to Haralson, who fired up a three-pointer from the corner. It all happened so quickly.
Ball. Hoop. Swish. Buzzer. Loud cheers from the crowd. Calhoun shakes head. Haralson celebrates. Calhoun gives death stare. Haralson, team walk off court.
In his defense, he was a freshman. We all make mistakes, right?
But in reality, Haralson was supposed to save UConn basketball from its three-point shooting woes. He was talked up as the next great UConn three-point specialist. He was compared to the likes of sharpshooter Rashad Anderson who ended his career with 276 threes, the most in UConn history.
It seemed like the 6-foot-4 guard from Jackson, Miss., had a promising future with coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies.
But as the Huskies slowly worked toward their most successful season since 2004, Haralson got lost in the shuffle.
In total, Haralson saw 50 minutes of playing time.
In practices, he shot the lights out.
In games, he shot 30 percent.
But now, Haralson doesn't have to live up to the expectations. Now, he isn't the next Rashad Anderson. Now, it doesn't matter how well he shoots in practice, or how terribly he shoots in games.
None of this matters because Haralson is gone. Earlier this month, Haralson announced he was transferring to the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma - a Husky turned Golden Hurricane.
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posted 7/02/09 @ 9:00 AM EST
Interesting article, i like the stuff on your pages.
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