Ex-Ramsey Player, Son Of NBA Champ, Receives National Honor

RAMSEY, NJ — Ron Harper Jr., a former Don Bosco ironman and a two-position player for the Rutgers University men's basketball team, was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Harper Jr., a guard-forward for the Scarlet Knights, scored a career-high 27 points in their 86-72 victory at top-25 ranked Iowa Saturday.

It was Harper Jr.'s ninth game in double digits and seventh against a Big Ten opponent this season. He is averaging 7.6 points per game.

Harper Jr. is the first Rutgers player to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Geo Baker in December 2017.

Harper Jr. is a 2018 graduate of Don Bosco Prep. He was a four-star prospect and was named North Jersey Player of the Year by Varsity Aces. He helped the Ironmen win two consecutive Tournament of Champions titles, and the State Non-Public A and Bergen County Jamboree championships.

Harper Jr. is the son of Ron Harper, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls where he started alongside Michael Jordan.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com