It’s easy to become just another face in the Harvard backcourt. With as many guards as the Crimson has—seven in all—it’s not hard to get lost in the shuffle.

But in Harvard’s case, each of the team’s veteran guards has developed his own on-court personality.

Junior point guard Elliott Prasse-Freeman, of course, is the expert passer. Off guard Patrick Harvey is the dead-eye shooter and converted guard Drew Gellert is the defensive stopper.

And reserve Brady Merchant? Well, he is a little bit of everything rolled into one.

Once a starter at shooting guard as a freshman, Merchant has since come to fill the invaluable role of Harvard’s sixth man coming off the bench. It’s a quiet role, but one that Merchant fits perfectly, according to Prasse-Freeman—who, along with forward Sam Winter, lives with Merchant in Quincy House. Merchant, he says, is as selfless as anyone he’s ever met.

“Brady has amazing integrity,” Prasse-Freeman says. “He’s a really good person. I can rely on him for anything.”

Prasse-Freeman, for his part, has been a star since he first donned a Harvard uniform. Right away, the Mercer Island, Wash., native stepped into Harvard great Tim Hill’s shoes—and his No. 15 jersey. He has impressed ever since, posting assist and three-point shooting numbers that have grabbed the rest of the league’s attention.

Together, Merchant and Prasse-Freeman provide an energy that will power the Crimson’s up-tempo offense this year. Harvard doesn’t try to hide the fact that it’s going small this year. But while the Crimson’s backcourt-oriented style may not match up favorably size-wise, Merchant and Prasse-Freeman help give Harvard a combination of slashers and long-range shooters that creates just the right balance of penetration and perimeter play.

Harvard’s Hondo

There were lots of big plays over the course of last year’s drama-filled season, many of them by Harvey and departed captain Dan Clemente ’01. But a year later, one play stands out.

It was known, quite simply, as The Dunk.

With Harvard clinging to a three-point lead late in the first half against Penn, Merchant stole a pass in the Quakers’ end of the floor, drove the lane and threw down a slam over a much taller Penn player despite getting fouled. The play electrified the crowd at Lavietes Pavilion as Harvard marched to victory, snapping Penn’s 25-game Ivy winning streak.

“Beating Penn at home was my best personal moment, and I think Brady’s, too, because he dunked all over that kid,” Prasse-Freeman said.

A year removed from the historic game, Merchant remembers the play clear as day.

“I can’t forget it,” he said. “They were just pressuring the ball and I think there was a double-team down in the corner and the [Penn player] just had nowhere to go with it. He threw it up and I just anticipated it, got the ball and finished the play.”