Putnam County’s Jaylin Harper recently signed to play basketball at the next level.
Harper, who recently graduated, signed with Brewton-Parker College, an NAIA program located in Mt. Vernon.
Harper said he’s excited to be a Baron and continue his career on the hardwood in college.
“It felt surreal because all my life has been leading up to the point of wanting a scholarship,” Harper said. “It might not have turned out how I wanted in the beginning, but in the end, it all paid off.”
Harper stated that the coaches at Brewton-Parker contacted his AAU head coach to express interest in him. They saw him play at a travel basketball tournament and liked both his game and his leadership on the court.
“I think they liked that I was a true point guard,” Harper said. “I facilitate the ball well. If needed, I’d go on a fast break and score, and I just kept my teammates on track. I lifted my teammates’ spirits and never let them get down after they missed shots or layups. I kept them energized, and we kept rolling through the game.”
Harper talked with the Barons’ staff a few times and felt like he’d fit in well, so he committed and then signed.
He also acknowledged that he partly chose Brewton-Parker because of its proximity to home. The town of Mt. Vernon is located in Montgomery County, approximately two hours south of Eatonton.
Harper was a two-year starter for Putnam County. As a senior, the 5-foot-11 guard averaged a career-high 8.3 points a game, with 3.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.9 steals per contest.
Harper made a significant impact for the War Eagles, and his efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Putnam County head coach Patrick Marshall spoke highly of Harper.
“Jaylin was our only senior starter, and he’s the one who led our team last season,” Marshall said. “He was our co-MVP last year. He also played on that 2022-23 team that went to the Sweet 16. He was a role player for us that season. He’s been in it, man, so I’m glad to see him continue his education and career at the next level.”
Harper expressed gratitude to Marshall for always believing in him and said the coach was his favorite coach.
“I love Coach Marshall, and it was great playing for him. He brought me up to varsity,” Harper said. “I knew he believed in me. I just kept working, and we continued to devise game plans on how to execute certain plays and win more games. And we did as much as we could to complete it.”
Some of Harper’s favorite memories were Putnam County’s runs to the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight. He also loved spending time with his teammates in the offseason, building chemistry and working hard together.
“I think my favorite moment was probably on the bus or in the weight room because our ability to get along built our chemistry to make it that far,” Harper said. “We bonded so much wherever we traveled. We really loved each other as a team, which brought us together for that deep run.”
Harper will enroll at Brewton-Parker College in the fall and begin practices with the Barons later this year.