Detroit had its “Microwave,” and apparently so does Uniontown.
Renowned NBA sixth man Vinny Johnson earned the nickname “the Microwave” for his ability to pile up points in a short time as a member of the famed Pistons' “Bad Boys” teams of the ‘80s.
As some would say, Johnson, like a microwave oven, heated up the offense in short order.
At Uniontown, they're conjuring up memories of Johnson's hot shooting, calling senior girls basketball guard Khai Harris “the Microwave.”
“Ever since she was in the third grade, I've remembered Khai for her scoring knack and her shoot-first mentality,” Uniontown coach Jason Winfrey said. “You always knew that when Khai had the ball in her hands, she was going to shoot it.
“That's not always a bad thing, though. If you can score. ... Each year since she's come to high school, her scoring has increased.”
The Red Raiders are an inexperienced bunch, but Harris and Winfrey's niece, Arielle Winfrey, are a pair of seniors who have been paving the way for the team's younger players.
“Have I ever thought about what it'll be like without those two?” You know I have,” Jason Winfrey said. “We don't have the best record (4-10), but I don't know where we'd be without them.”
Harris is the leader, but it wasn't always that way. The 5-foot-5 guard, who was leading the team in scoring (16.0 ppg.), spent much of her freshman year on the bench while Uniontown was racing to a 17-3 record and a section championship in Class AAA.
“I learned a lot watching that team,” Harris said. “It was a big change going to high school.”
She quickly moved into the rotation as a sophomore and finished the year averaging 14 ppg. In 2014-15, as a junior, Harris' scoring output was up to 15.1.
“She's an exciting player,” Winfrey said. “Her dream is to play at the next level.”
Mainly, Division II and III schools have been attracted to Harris.
“I told her no matter what our record is, no matter whether we have a chance to get into the playoffs or not, she needs to know how to carry herself,” Winfrey said. “You never know who's watching. I'm so proud of her because she's responded. She's always ready to show her teammates the way if they get stuck.”
It wasn't always that way for Harris, who also has played on travel teams based in Pittsburgh, Connellsville and Morgantown, W.Va.
“She would get down when we lost. That's easy to do,” Winfrey said. “When you have young players asking simple questions about fundamentals, it can be very discouraging at times. Khai has learned to deal with it. She's learned to be a leader, and that will go a long way for her as she moves on.”
Harris laughed when reminded of Winfrey's persistent ways.
“That's why I didn't give up,” she said. “He pushed me. He gave me a chance because he believes in me. He doesn't take me out when I make a mistake. He gives you a chance to get it right. As a coach, he knows what he's doing.”
Dave Mackall is a freelance writer.
