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D.J. Harvey Crucial X-Factor To 2018-19 Season

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D.J. Harvey has spend the past eight months recovering from micro-fracture surgery on his left knee.
D.J. Harvey has spend the past eight months recovering from micro-fracture surgery on his left knee. (Corey Bodden)
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There was a “new” theme throughout the Notre Dame men’s basketball scrimmage on Sunday afternoon that was open to the media.

There was the new and long-awaited practice facility, a record six new eligible members (five freshmen and transfer Juwan Durham) on the team in head coach Mike Brey’s 19 seasons with the Fighting Irish …

And then there was what appeared to be a new lease on his 2018-19 basketball life for sophomore forward D.J. Harvey.

Following micro-fracture surgery on his left knee late last February, the former top-50 recruit was limited for six months on how much he could walk on it, and there was ample speculation he might take a medical redshirt in 2018-19 so that he can fully concentrate on rehabilitation.

Cleared only last Friday to begin working out, it was surprising to see Harvey scrimmaging in the first place during the 45-minute session. It was even more unexpected when he was the standout on the floor, tallying a scrimmage-high 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the field, including 3 of 6 from three-point range.

When it comes to scoring or manufacturing buckets at all three levels — beyond the arc, intermediate pull-ups, or aggressive drives and finishes at the basket — only junior guard T.J. Gibbs rivals Harvey on the team, although Gibbs had an off day with his shot (1 of 9).

Fatigue began to get the better of Harvey in the latter portions of the scrimmage, but the overall performance served notice that he could be a pivotal X-factor in this year’s lineup.

“I’m getting there,” Harvey said after the workout. “I’ve got to get my lungs back, I’ve got to get back in the flow of the game and everything, but if feels good to be back playing with my guys. I missed them …I slowed down a little bit, I was feeling it like halfway through, but I feel great.”

In fact, Brey wanted to scrimmage Harvey for only half the practice, but likewise was surprised about his lack of tentativeness.

“We let him rip,” Brey said. “I think eventually he has to play. You hope that the cartilage situation has … but you’re not going to know that. He’s going to have to play on it. Today, we didn’t go super long because we’ve had a couple hard days in a row. We’ll keep an eye on him — and he doesn’t want to come out.”

Nevertheless, both Harvey and Brey recognize that overdoing it in the next month could have huge repercussions. Harvey also admitted the next step is fully overcoming the mental hurdle that occurs with any severe injury or major surgery.

There also is a vast difference between pushing yourself and pacing yourself correctly for the long term.

“Trying not to go all out every day,” Harvey replied about the steps ahead in the coming weeks. “I wasn’t even supposed to do the whole scrimmage today … I’m getting used to my new legs and trying to get back into the groove of things. It’s definitely hard, but I have to do it. Usually it takes an injury like this to slow down, because just going full speed all the time it takes a toll in the long run.”

After his six-month layoff, the next phase was quadriceps and hamstring work, and also shedding about 10-15 pounds, both of which have been achieved. Then he was able to expand workouts in plyometrics and light jumping.

“He’s lean, he’s down probably to 220 pounds,” said Brey of the 6-5 Harvey. “[Strength and conditioning coach] Tony Rolinski wanted him lighter on that knee. He’s done everything we’ve asked. I’m proud of his attitude. That’s a mental burden to not be able to play for 10 months.”

Harvey did not even don a brace during the scrimmage — although he admitted the soreness did set in — but will be wearing a compression sleeve on his left knee with greater frequency.

Especially painful to Harvey was not having an opportunity to develop individually last year as a freshman and helping the team out more after senior All-American Bonzie Colson missed almost the entire ACC regular season with an injury.

In Harvey’s first game replacing Colson, a Jan. 3 blowout of North Carolina State, he tallied a career high 17 points on 6 of 9 shooting, including 3 of 4 from three-point range.

Three days later in an upset of Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, Harvey’s shooting was off (1 of 14), but his career high nine rebounds and strong defense helped the Irish pull off the upset. A week later at North Carolina he flirted with his first double-double (nine points, eight rebounds). Then in the opening minutes of the Jan. 17 loss to Louisville, he suffered his knee injury. A month later on Feb. 16, just as he was about to rejoin the lineup, Harvey had a setback again in a practice that mandated the surgery.

That is why Harvey, Brey and the medical staff, led by long-time trainer Skip Meyer, are proceeding with caution. What also is beneficial is the new practice floor has a softer feel where the jumping and landing has more give to it.

“He’s moving great,” Brey said. “I’m hoping we’re trending the right way. We’re sure looking like we are.”

Nevertheless, the door has not been completely closed on taking a medical redshirt. NCAA rules allow one to be taken before the eighth game of the season, which would carry through the month of November (regular season opens Nov. 6 versus Illinois-Chicago, with an exhibition game Nov. 1 versus Central State).

“They’ve given us seven games to decide,” Harvey said. “That helped a lot with red-shirting possibly, and it’s still up in the air, just depending on how I feel after the seven games. Hopefully, it doesn’t come down to that … I definitely think I can play this year. I feel like I’m ready, it’s just a matter of not pushing it, overdoing it before the first game.”

Trust is also going to be essential to make an objective decision when the time comes. All athletes want to play whenever they can. When asked if Harvey can be honest with himself on his readiness, Brey replied with “probably not.”

“That’s where I’ll trust Skip on that,” he said.

Harvey recognizes he will have to take a mature and informed approach.

“We’re going to sit down with my family, the coaching staff, and ultimately I have to be honest with myself and everybody around me,” he said. “It’s all about the long run, not now. It’s a long season and you never know what can happen with my knee. I just have to be honest with myself, and whatever we come to decide we’ve got to stick with it.”

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