Harrow, overlooked by Lebo, is on the brink of command

When East Carolina basketball coach Jeff Lebo was on the David Glenn radio show this week, he raved about two N.C. State freshmen, Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie.

Well, there's a third, and that one, Ryan Harrow, made an indelible impact in the 85-65 win over ECU Thursday in Charleston, S.C., that showed why he should soon be starting.

State has an experienced guard in senior Javy Gonzalez, who started again Thursday. Gonzalez had just four points in 10 minutes while Harrow ran the show. Harrow contributed 11 points, 10 assists and had only two turnovers in 28 minutes of action.

You don't have to be a genius to see where this is headed.

Lowe raved about Gonzalez in preseason, and you can understand how a coach doesn't want to bench a senior right away. But Gonzalez is not a lead guard on a great college team. He's a scrappy player who won't hurt you in limited time.

Harrow is completely different. He's quick, creative and has an explosive element to his game. His squeaky voice makes him sound 13 years old but in reality he seems quite mature and ready for the college game.

Sure, Harrow is only 5 feet 11 and there remain uncertainties about him. Can he guard top players in the ACC? Can he hit from the outside? And, perhaps most importantly, can he manage a team that will be a blend of veterans and confident freshmen?

Harrow didn't start Thursday, but he showed his time is now. He should play - and plenty. It's only a matter of when before Harrow assumes command of this Wolfpack team.