Anthony Harvey Jr. passes the ball as Lawrence High went against Lee's Summit West in the second session of the Hy-Vee Shootout at Avila University.

During the starting lineup introductions before every Lawrence High boys basketball game, senior Anthony Harvey Jr. will say a prayer and point a finger to the sky when he hears his name called out by the public-address announcer.

It’s a quick tribute before he jumps off the bench, slaps hands with teammates and runs onto the floor.

Stepping into a starting role this season, the 5-foot-10 guard has blossomed on the court. He’s helped the Lions to a 5-1 record and No. 5 ranking in Class 6A, averaging 12.2 points per game before winter break.

In the past, Harvey was a backup point guard and known as a sharpshooter off of the bench. Now he’s a team leader and a big reason the Lions have raced out to a quick start.

“I feel like I’ve stepped up in more of a way than just shooting,” Harvey said. “I’m doing more. I’m driving, getting people open. I’m rebounding the ball more than I ever have in a season already. And I think my defense is getting better.”

Harvey is an emotional leader on the court. He doesn’t hesitate to pump up the crowd following made shots. He’s always talking, whether he is encouraging his teammates or joking with officials. That’s always been his style since he was a young kid.

Before the first game of the season against Emporia, LHS boys basketball coach Mike Lewis sat Harvey down and reminded him, “You be you.” Lewis didn’t want him to play outside of his comfort zone.

“He can’t put any weight on his shoulders in terms of scoring,” Lewis said. “He has to take the responsibility of being a senior, and run with that. And that has a lot more to do with leadership and composure and the bigger picture than just scoring points.”

In the last offseason, Harvey never stopped playing basketball throughout the spring and summer. But he can point to the date, Sept. 22, that his life changed forever.

That’s when basketball was pushed away and his priorities changed. His father, Anthony Harvey Sr., suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized for a week.

“They told me at the scene that he took his final breath,” Harvey said. “They did the defibrillators on him four times — you are only supposed to do it twice — (a police officer) did it on him four times. That brought his pulse back. So he went from no chance to everything.

“He was in a medically induced coma for three days, and they put a cooling blanket on him to make sure everything was fine. He came out of the coma and everything came back slower. His memory just now got back to full. It’s been about two months.”

Harvey missed school and workouts with his basketball team to be with his family in the hospital.

“My dad, he told me when he woke up, he’s like, I have to keep being the man of the house,” Harvey said. “You have to keep control of your family members. The biggest thing about me was just making sure my mom and my sister were all right.”

Harvey has dealt with several deaths in the past few years. Former LHS assistant basketball coach Kermit Aldridge died of cancer in March 2014. One of his close friends, Ivan Hollins, lost his mother, Schnette, to liver cancer in April. Former LHS state champion wrestler Reece Wright-Conklin, who died following a motorcycle crash in September, was very close with Harvey’s older sister, Amber.

After his dad left the hospital following an eight-day stay, Harvey went right back into the gym, shooting with his Beats by Dre headphones. He always admired how his dad would give him honest feedback after games — all of the positives and negatives.

“My mom brought him in (to the gym), and I just almost started crying because it’s just an everyday thing,” Harvey said. “We were in here every day. Just to see him back was the happiest thing. This is like a second home.”

The two continue to spend their time in gyms. Harvey can look up in the crowd of all his games and find his father in the stands watching him.

“My son is my best friend,” the proud father said. “He and I do everything together. I’ve really seen a growth in him. Not just with his school work as he’s really good with that, but just in responsibility and how it’s going to be in the future. If you want to be a leader, you have to be a leader now. He’s really done that.”

The younger Harvey decided to honor his dad by making a change in the roster and starting lineup introductions, adding the junior to the end of his name.

“I thought it was a big deal this year to go by my real name, Anthony Harvey Jr., just because there’s two of us and there’s only two of us,” Harvey Jr. said.

Harvey looks back on Sept. 22 and that entire week, and knows he’s grown from the life-changing experience. It’s a chance to cherish those close to him and look at the bigger picture, which is why he’s trying to enjoy all of his moments on and off the basketball court during his senior year.

“I’ll never forget the times I have with anybody,” Harvey said. “The biggest thing is make sure you remember those moments when you’re allowed to smile. Remember the bad moments, too, because that’s what made the good moments even better.”