Post by Chuck on Sept 28, 2005 15:45:09 GMT -5
Bonnies move forward with maryland recruit
By VINNY PEZZIMENTI, The Times Herald
09/28/2005
With the NCAA early signing period looming less than two months away, the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team seemingly will have a recruit inked to a National Letter of Intent on the first day.
According to Jourdan Morris and Glenn Farello, his coach at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, the forward has verbally committed to Bona.
Morris said he has canceled official visits to James Madison, Marshall and Virginia Commonwealth following this past weekend’s visit to Bona. La Salle was also interested.
“His relationship from the beginning of the recruiting process all the way back to last spring was the biggest thing in his decision,” Farello said of Morris. “He just felt comfortable with Coach Solomon and the and rest of the coaching staff.”
A senior from Greenbelt, Md., the 6-foot-6 Morris spent his junior season at Montrose Christian where he averaged 12 points per game. He started for Farello at Roosevelt, located in Bowie, Md., as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Montrose.
Morris said he transferred to enhance his basketball standing. His mother had him move back to Roosevelt because of a bad grade in a math course.
As a high schooler, Morris has played the power forward position, but is a versatile athlete accustomed to playing on the perimeter.
“I’m excited about this opportunity for him,” Farello said. “He’s a good fit for what they expect out of a wing player with the abilities he has. I think the bottom line is how much work he puts into it.”
Farello and Morris both admitted he must polish his perimeter skills. Still, Morris creates major matchup problems with his ability to post up and shoot over smaller players, as well as take bigger opponents off the dribble.
With the graduation of wing players, Ahmad Smith, Patrick Lottin and Wade Dunston coming this spring, Morris will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact at Bona.
Even though Morris’ junior season at Montrose under coach Stu Vetter was deemed a disappointment, he drew praise for his play in Washington D.C.’s The Rock league this summer.
The Washington Post places Morris among the top 20 players in the D.C. metro area heading into this season.
“I just want to be in the best shape of my life when I get to college,” Morris said. “It’s going to be one of the most exciting moments of my life. It’s a chapter in my life that I can’t wait to get it started.”
Morris is one of just two players to start as a freshman and sophomore under Farello at Roosevelt, which boasts alums Delonte West and Eddie Basden. West, the former Saint Joseph’s star, was a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics in 2004 while Basden, who played college ball at Charlotte, signed as a rookie free agent with the Chicago Bulls this summer.
“He’s always had a great body,” Farello said of Morris. “He’s grown into it as he has become physically mature and he’s become quicker. You could see he was loaded with talent all the way back to his freshman year.”
Because it’s before the early-signing period, St. Bonaventure can’t comment on potential recruits.
By VINNY PEZZIMENTI, The Times Herald
09/28/2005
With the NCAA early signing period looming less than two months away, the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team seemingly will have a recruit inked to a National Letter of Intent on the first day.
According to Jourdan Morris and Glenn Farello, his coach at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, the forward has verbally committed to Bona.
Morris said he has canceled official visits to James Madison, Marshall and Virginia Commonwealth following this past weekend’s visit to Bona. La Salle was also interested.
“His relationship from the beginning of the recruiting process all the way back to last spring was the biggest thing in his decision,” Farello said of Morris. “He just felt comfortable with Coach Solomon and the and rest of the coaching staff.”
A senior from Greenbelt, Md., the 6-foot-6 Morris spent his junior season at Montrose Christian where he averaged 12 points per game. He started for Farello at Roosevelt, located in Bowie, Md., as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Montrose.
Morris said he transferred to enhance his basketball standing. His mother had him move back to Roosevelt because of a bad grade in a math course.
As a high schooler, Morris has played the power forward position, but is a versatile athlete accustomed to playing on the perimeter.
“I’m excited about this opportunity for him,” Farello said. “He’s a good fit for what they expect out of a wing player with the abilities he has. I think the bottom line is how much work he puts into it.”
Farello and Morris both admitted he must polish his perimeter skills. Still, Morris creates major matchup problems with his ability to post up and shoot over smaller players, as well as take bigger opponents off the dribble.
With the graduation of wing players, Ahmad Smith, Patrick Lottin and Wade Dunston coming this spring, Morris will have the opportunity to make an immediate impact at Bona.
Even though Morris’ junior season at Montrose under coach Stu Vetter was deemed a disappointment, he drew praise for his play in Washington D.C.’s The Rock league this summer.
The Washington Post places Morris among the top 20 players in the D.C. metro area heading into this season.
“I just want to be in the best shape of my life when I get to college,” Morris said. “It’s going to be one of the most exciting moments of my life. It’s a chapter in my life that I can’t wait to get it started.”
Morris is one of just two players to start as a freshman and sophomore under Farello at Roosevelt, which boasts alums Delonte West and Eddie Basden. West, the former Saint Joseph’s star, was a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics in 2004 while Basden, who played college ball at Charlotte, signed as a rookie free agent with the Chicago Bulls this summer.
“He’s always had a great body,” Farello said of Morris. “He’s grown into it as he has become physically mature and he’s become quicker. You could see he was loaded with talent all the way back to his freshman year.”
Because it’s before the early-signing period, St. Bonaventure can’t comment on potential recruits.
