PORTLAND, Ore. – University of Portland men's basketball has signed point guard Yaru Harvey to a National Letter of Intent, first-year head coach Shantay Legans announced. Harvey attended Sheldon High School in Sacramento, Calif., one of the elite basketball programs in California, before spending this past season at the Southern California Academy.

"Yaru is a perfect culture fit for our basketball program," Legans said. "He is a floor general with a high basketball IQ. Yaru can make plays for his teammates, score the basketball at a high rate, and brings a lot of toughness on the defensive end. He already exhibits great leadership qualities and is eager to continue to develop his game."

Harvey (6-3, 175) was a member of a loaded Sheldon High School team for three seasons. He joined the varsity team that won two section titles, a pair of NorCal Open Championships and was runner-up at twice at CIF State Open Division championships. The Open is the highest classification for boys basketball in California. The team was attempting to win its third straight NorCal title last March when the coronavirus pandemic abruptly canceled the tournament.



In September, he enrolled in the Southern California Academy for his senior year and played against high-level, national competition throughout the season while honing his skills with the elite basketball training program.

2021 Yaru Harvey 6'2+ PG Southern California Academy can score at 3 level. Point guard with good size. Floor general that controls the game. Rebounds well for position & can guard the ball. The Eastern Washington commit has been impressive all season. Winner! @Ballislife pic.twitter.com/biRVPZ8drc

— Julius V. (@JuliusVElite0) January 15, 2021

2021 Yaru Harvey 6'2 PG Southern California Academy one of the top PGs left on the board. Has multiple D1 offers & continuing to buzz. Checks the boxes you look for in a PG. With his talent on the court, high character, & 4.0 gpa, Yaru will help a lot of programs. @Ballislife pic.twitter.com/vKrixGabUj

— Julius V. (@JuliusVElite0) October 6, 2020

Harvey decided that coming to Portland was an easy decision after Legans and two of his assistant coaches from Eastern Washington came to The Bluff.

"Coach Legans was the first to offer me a scholarship and made a real effort to form a relationship with me," Harvey said. "He believes in me and with his success as a former point guard, he understands what it takes to play the position at a high level.

"I am a team-first guy with a winning mentality and will do whatever it takes to help the team. I'm excited for the experience of moving to an unfamiliar place and forming new bonds in Portland."

On the club circuit, Harvey played for LakeShow Hoops, one of the premier AAU programs in Northern California.