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Harlond Beverly has always been able to get to the basket and finish, whether it be in high school at Montverde Academy (FL) or in college at the University of Miami. That potential every time he touches the ball makes him one of the most exciting players on Miami’s roster.
Beverly stands to be one of the players on Miami’s roster that sees the biggest role change this season. Beverly played 19.9 minutes a game last year, which was eighth in Miami’s rotation. This year, Beverly should be one of the Hurricanes’ most important bench players, or a starter depending on the situation.
Beverly is a 6-5 guard who showed flashes last season of the potential that brought him to Miami as the 54th ranked player in his recruiting class. His defense showed clear needs for improvement, a common issue for freshman guards, but he showed excellent scoring instincts, especially in an outstanding 20 point, 5 assist performance against NC State last February.
Hurricanes fans should be excited for the potential of Beverly, Isaiah Wong, Chris Lykes, and Earl Timberlake playing together in small-ball lineups this season. Miami is prepared to play this lineup against certain opponents, and the offensive potential of these four dynamic guards playing together is exciting for a Hurricanes team that didn’t have that capability last season.
Hurricanes Head Coach Jim Larrañaga noted that Beverly is much improved defensively ahead of the season. If the sophomore has truly stepped up his defensive game it could set him up as one of the most improved players on the roster. If Beverly can bring his defense to a higher level, there’s no reason he shouldn’t see more minutes this season, and it will raise the level of the Hurricanes defense across the board, a big emphasis for Larrañaga ahead of this year.
The biggest key for Beverly will be consistency. While he showed those flashes of his potential against NC State, UCF, and Florida State there were just as many games where he struggled on both ends of the court. On the season, Beverly was ahead of just Keith Stone in field goal percentage amongst regular players, shooting just 40% from the field on the year.
To take the next steps forward in his college career, and to move on to the professional ranks, Beverly will need to work on becoming a more consistent shooter and defensive force. The talented guard has all the tools to become a truly impact player for the Hurricanes, and an elite guard in the ACC, he just needs to work on putting it all together this season.
Beverly played in all 31 games for Miami last year for a reason, and despite having areas that need improvement, he remains one of the most talented players on Miami’s roster. Beverly and the Hurricanes will get their season started on November 29 against North Florida.