Rose Announces New Cougars

PROVO -- BYU men’s basketball coach Dave Rose announced today that two prep standouts have committed to play for the Cougars by signing national letters of intent. Damarcus Harrison of Christ School in Arden, N.C., and Isaac Neilson of Mission Viejo High School in Mission Viejo, Calif., join Nate Austin and Ian Harward, who will return from two years of missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before enrolling in the fall of 2011.

Harrison, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound shooting guard, will join the Cougars for the 2011-12 season. According to Rivals.com, Harrison is ranked among the top 100 recruits in the nation at No. 78 overall. He is also ranked 21st among shooting guards by Rivals.com and 38th according to ESPN.com and Scout.com. An excellent athlete, Harrison shines in the open court, can shoot from deep and finish strong at the rim.

After transferring to Christ School from Greenwood High School in South Carolina, Harrison averaged 12.5 points and five rebounds per game on a team that included six other Division I-bound players. Under the direction of coach David Gaines, Harrison helped lead the Greenies to a 37-2 record and the 2010 North Carolina 3A state title.

Harrison played for Dion Bethea on the Carolina Ravens AAU team. Clemson, Florida State, Marquette and Wisconsin also recruited Harrison.

“We’re excited that Damarcus has chosen to be a Cougar,” Rose said. “It has been a very long recruiting process and our coaching staff has done a terrific job in that process. Damarcus is a gifted athletic player that has a very high sill level. He’s a terrific perimeter shooter. Damarcus has been an integral part of very highly successful programs, both on the high school and AAU levels. He will have an opportunity to play a big part for us from day one.”

A 6-foot-10 post player with an excellent work ethic and the ability to run the floor, Neilson averaged nine points, nine rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots per game as a junior at Mission Viejo for Troy Roelen and was a first-team All-South Coast Conference selection.

Neilson, who was also a second-team all-conference volleyball player for Mission Viejo, uses a 7-foot-3 wingspan to dominate on the blocks at both ends of the court. He recorded a triple-double last winter at the Desert Classic in Palm Desert, Calif., scoring 16 points, blocking 10 shots and grabbing 13 rebounds. Gonzaga, Boise State, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, Army and Utah State also recruited Neilson.

“We’re happy that Isaac Neilson has chosen BYU,” Rose said. “He’s 6-foot-10 and has a 7-foot-3 wingspan. Isaac runs the floor really well and has a high skill level. He has great shot blocking instincts with great timing and comes to us from a program with a great winning tradition, which will help him fit in really well here.”

A traditional low post player, Harward will bring size to the Cougar roster following his mission. The 6-foot-10 Harward plays well with his back to the basket and has range out to 15 feet. He played at Orem High School for Mike O’Connor and Mike Conner. Harward also played for the Pump ‘N Run AAU team that was run by John Palica and coached by O’Connor and Todd Phillips. The summer before his senior year, Harward registered 35 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks in a Tri-City Tournament game near Seattle. He is currently serving in the Texas San Antonio Mission.

A big man with perimeter skills, Austin prepped at Lone Peak High School for Quincy Lewis. As a junior he helped Lone Peak to the 5A Utah state title and a second-place finish as a senior. Austin, who stands 6-foot-10, excelled playing for the Salt Lake Metro club team that was directed by Dave Hammer and coached by Marty Haws. At the Las Vegas Spring Showcase Austin scored 24 points and grabbed 22 rebounds in a gold bracket quarterfinal game. Austin is known for his work ethic and can step out and shoot the three as well as play on the post. He is currently serving in the Texas McAllen Mission.


ROSTER INFORMATIONPlayer Name           Ht.      Pos.     Hometown (High School)
Nate Austin           6-10     F/C      Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak HS)
Damarcus Harrison     6-5      G        Arden, N.C. (Christ School)
Ian Harward           6-10     F/C      Orem, Utah (Orem HS)
Isaac Neilson         6-10     C        Mission Viejo, Calif. (Mission Viejo HS)