Jackson Free Press

Ontario Harper slid into a defensive stance, slowly shuffling his feet backwards as he spread his massive arms. The former Clinton High School basketball star smiled as 5-year-old boys and girls began to dribble toward him during his sports camp on Sunday, April 26.

Harper watched the kids run through drills, offering words of encouragement when needed and stopping to give more hands-on coaching when a youngster struggled. Regardless of skill, Harper tries to help each kid at the camp get better.

It took a long time for Harper to get his love of basketball back. The former Mississippi State University athlete was one of the top players in the state during his senior year (1997-1998) at Clinton High.

USA Today gave Harper All-USA honorable mention for the state of Mississippi twice, and he helped Clinton make three straight state tournament appearances. The Arrows had an overall record of 78-23 during Harper's final three years in high school.

But as much as his parents pushed him to do better in school, Harper says, "I just wanted to play basketball, and I did just enough to get by with my grades." That hurt Harper after his ACT scores didn't qualify him to get into Mississippi State.

"All I ever wanted to do was play basketball at Mississippi State," Harper says. "After my ACT score not being right, I had to go all the way to prep school (The Winchendon School in Massachusetts) to get my grades right to get to (MSU)."

At Winchendon, Harper led the team in points (16.9), rebounds (6.5), assists (3.3), steals (2.8) and blocks (1.7) per game. The team named him MVP and he received All-New England Prep School Athletic Conference honors.

More importantly, Harper got his grades high enough to be accepted into Mississippi State in 2001. He joined the Bulldogs during one of MSU's best periods for the sport.

His first year at State was cut short due to a wrist injury that earned him a medical redshirt. In Harper's first full season on the court in 2002, MSU went 27-8, won the SEC conference tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs lost to the University of Texas in the second round.

Harper went to the NCAA Tournament again the next season. The Bulldogs had a 21-10 record but fell to Butler University in the second round of the tournament. Another injury benched him that year.

"After my sophomore season, it was supposed to be my chance to shine as a junior," Harper says. "But instead, I ended up tearing my ACL playing basketball with a walk-on. It was just one of those freak accidents. "

He credits friends and family with helping keep his spirits up while he rehabilitated. MSU made the NCAA Tournament again in 2004 without Harper.

During his senior season in 2005, Harper injured his shoulder. He insisted on playing and helped MSU reach the NCAA Tournament, but the team fell once more in the second round, this time against Duke University. He graduated with bachelor's degree in business and marketing, and his college basketball career ended.

Harper says he got some offers to play overseas after graduating from MSU, but the shoulder injury held him back. "Teams backed away after learning I would be out for at least six months for shoulder surgery," Harper says. "You'll never know what it feels like to have a contract basically torn up in your face."

After MSU, Harper sold cars and bounced around Atlanta and Florida from 2007 to 2011. Because he missed his family and friends, he returned to the Mississippi in 2011 but stayed away from basketball. It wasn't until 2013 that Harper got back into the sport when he began coaching a 13- to 14-year-old Amateur Athletic Union team.

"My family, friends and my fiancee encouraged me to get back into basketball," Harper says. "I feel like I have a lot to give back to these kids and the community, as well."

Harper says the AAU system has its share of problems, including putting kids up on pedestals, which in turn makes some young athletes hard to coach, but AAU is good for them to be exposed to basketball. Coaching also helps Harper teach the essentials of the game.

"The mid-range jumper, boxing out and other simple fundamentals of the game are being lost," Harper says. "I want to instill those fundamentals in my team."

Having gone through the recruiting process, Harper thinks he can help his athletes understand what playing basketball at the Division I level takes and help them find other places to play even if it isn't at college basketball's highest level.

Harper says he uses his camp to teach more than basketball, though. Harper also stresses the importance of players respecting others, including their parents, peers and themselves, as well as the value of learning.

"Education is the key," Harper says. "Without education, you can't play the game." He challenges his kids to "Do the best possible" in school. "Don't settle for a C when you can work harder to make an A."

Lastly, Harper tells his kids to have fun and play hard. "Basketball is supposed to be fun," he says.

At the camp, Harper kept smiling as he talked to the next youngster that needed coaching or to just hear some encouragement. He is finally back with the sport he loves, and it shows with each kid he coaches.