With his role increasing during the 2019-20 Cerritos College men's basketball season, freshman guard Joshua Harrison has made the decision to leave and has committed to Westcliff University, an NAIA school located in Irvine. A graduate of Onate (NM) High, Harrison played in all 30 games for the Falcons last season and averaged 5.3 points and 2.2 rebounds a game. But in the final 12 games of the season, Harrison eclipsed the double-digit scoring mark four times, which included a season-high 15 points in a win over rival Long Beach City College. He also posted back-to-back double-digit scoring in the final two games of the year.

The loss of Harrison requires head coach Russ May to fill another hole in his roster as he prepares for the return to action for the 2021-22 season.

"Josh definitely expressed interest in staying, but he was ready to move on academically with his AA degree and a 3.8 GPA", stated May. "It did not make sense to stay back when academically he was ready to move on. He grey-shirted his first year and then during his second year he lost his father unexpectedly, so he has really overcome so much and wanted to progress. Also with Covid, he has three years left to play."

Stated Harrison, "As great of an experience that being part of the Cerritos family has been, I felt that I am both academically and athletically ready to take my next step. There were several options that I was considering throughout my decision making process. However, Westcliff has presented a great environment, community, and program, so I was confident in committing to Westcliff without taking visits to any other schools on my list."

Playing in a showcase in Rancho Cucamonga in high school, Harrison was spotted by late Falcons assistant coach Criss Freeman. Impressed with his game, Freeman talked with Harrison for a while and remained in contact. The commitment by Freeman was an integral part of Harrison making the decision to come to California.

Harrison (pictured, above), who earned more playing time with his defensive prowess, showed that he could also contribute on the offensive end. He connected on 48% of his field goals in those final 12 games and hit a couple of important three-pointers in the Falcons 77-69 win over the Vikings. He only took 10 or more shots in the final two games of the season and was a great shot in the arm for Cerritos when he came into the game off the bench.

"I was always making differences on the defensive side of the ball, and throughout the season my roll offensively grew as I began adjusting well to our system, coupled with Coach May trusting me to take on more production and be more aggressive looking to play-make," added Harrison. "The experience and coaching gained from Cerritos has been an integral part of my development as a player. With my playmaking ability and defensive intensity, I feel that I can help to keep the pace and flow of games in Westcliff's favor throughout the game and down the stretch.

"Josh is an unorthodox player that earned more time because he was making plays on both ends of the court," affirmed May. "He is an inspiration on and off the floor, a a great teammate and willing to anything to help the team. He makes everyone around him better. Josh will bring energy, positivity and competitiveness to Westcliff. He can score in so many ways and will make his teammates better. We wish him the best. He is a special kid for how he has handled all the obstacles in his life and will be successful on an off the court."

Harrison earned his AA degree in Marketing, Business Administration and Business Management with a cumulative 3.8 GPA and was a member of the President's Honor List in three separate semesters with a 4.0 GPA. At Westcliff University, Harrison will be majoring in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing.