There is no anchor holding Chris Harris back anymore. He's one happy sailor who would seem to have the wind at his back and smooth waters ahead.

Coming out of Benedictine High, an undersized Harris hardly drew a smidgen of basketball recruiting interest, and none from the Division I ranks.

Now, he's a sculpted 6-2, 175-pound fixture in the Naval Academy lineup.

"I'm proud of what I've done, but I don't forget where I've been," the Navy sophomore said. "It's very humbling. I've been at the bottom, so I'm happy with anything that comes my way."

As coach Billy Lange's starting point guard, Harris was second-team all-Patriot League selection on the strength of stout numbers in various categories.

"It took me three or four times seeing him before I was convinced Chris could play for us," Lange said. "He just grew on me. He's got an incredible will to prove he belongs on this level . . . which he certainly does."

In navigating the Middies' attack, Harris averaged 14.5 points and 32.3 minutes per contest.

He set an Annapolis record for 3-pointers (91 for 218), led the Patriot in steals (58), hit 80 percent from the foul line (65 for 81) and had 110 assists to 88 turnovers.

He scored double-figures on 23 occasions, including six games over 20.

Making waves all over the floor, Harris helped Navy to a 16-14 record and second-place (9-5) in the Patriot. The Middies' NCAA chances ended with an 87-86 triple overtime quarterfinal loss to Bucknell in the conference playoffs.

John Griffin's banked, 40-foot heave at the buzzer sank Navy.

"Every time I turned on [ESPN] SportsCenter, it seemed, I had to see that shot again," Harris said.

Size change: Harris was 5-5 as a Benedictine sophomore, the same year he got his driver's license.

"I've had it renewed, but all the information is the same," he said. "On my license, I'm still 5-5, and the picture makes me look like I'm about 8."

He grew to about 5-11 as a senior, then put on another spurt in a rewarding postgraduate season at Fork Union Military Academy.

"Fork Union meant everything to me," he said. "Gave me a chance to get bigger, improve my game . . . start getting some looks.

"Coach [Fletcher] Arritt has so many connections, and he knows the game so well."

Lange spotted Harris playing for FUMA against the Navy JV team in Annapolis.

AAU star: As a 12-year-old, Harris played on a standout Team Richmond AAU team.

In winning the state title, Harris' teammates included Tyrese Rice (Boston College), Marcus Ginyard (North Carolina), Reid Augst (UNC Asheville) and Ryan Butler (Richmond).

Full speed ahead: After two more years at Navy, the political science major faces a five-year military commitment.

"I'll probably be placed on a surface warship," he said.

A blessing: Harris believes his late-blooming physical stature worked to his advantage. As the smallest player on the floor, he learned all the ins and outs of survival.

"It was all about perseverance . . . figuring out a way," said Harris. "It's funny now. I'm one of the tallest point guards in the league."