ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico men’s basketball team has announced the signing of Wilson, North Carolina point guard Jalen Harris of Word of God Christian Academy.
Harris will join the Lobos for the upcoming 2016-17 season. Standing at 6-2, he is a highly rated recruit coming out of high school and rated as a top-15 recruit in the state of North Carolina. He enters New Mexico with a strong reputation for his ball handling and quickness on the floor. This past season, Harris was a leader on a Word of God basketball team that was rated among the top-40 teams in all of North Carolina by MaxPreps.
Harris joins an incoming class that includes three signees from the early signing period. The remaining class is as follows:
Connor MacDougall – 6’9″ – Forward – Tempe, Ariz.
MacDougall commits to UNM from South Mountain CC, where he will play the upcoming 2015-16 season. He played his freshman year at Arizona State University, but had to sit out after only six games played due to a shoulder injury. Prior to his time with the Sun Devils, MacDougall was a star recruit out of Corona Del Sol HS. He led his high school squad to a 32-1 record in 2013-14 and an Arizona State Championship. He was rated by Rivals.com as a top-120 player nationally in the 2014 class, while Fox Sports Next ranked him as the 12th best center in the nation. MacDougall will join his former high school teammate in Dane Kuiper at UNM.
Damien Jefferson – 6’4″ – Guard/Forward – East Chicago, Ind.
Jefferson comes to UNM after playing the last three seasons at East Chicago Central HS. Jefferson is rated as a top-150 player in his class nationally by Rivals.com. Last year, as a junior, Jefferson nearly averaged a double-double with 23.4 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game. With Jefferson filling up the box score, East Chicago Central HS finished the season with a 21-5 record and an appearance in the Indiana State Finals. Jefferson is the son of former Lobo Everett Jefferson, who averaged 5.72 assists and 1.94 steals per game, both team-bests, in 1979-80.
Aher Uguak – 6’7″ – Guard/Forward – Edmonton, Canada
Uguak commits to UNM as he begins his senior campaign at Henry Ainley HS. Uguak will be looking to finish a strong high school career in Edmonton after previously winning the provincial championship. Uguak is rated as one of the best high school players in Western Canada and the top prospect out of Alberta. Playing with his AAU team, Drive Elite, Uguak was named the 2015 Alberta NPH Showcase camp Most Valuable Player.