Morant Ascends to Possible Lottery Pick
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B2 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2019 SPORTS CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE COLLEGE BASKETBALL Morant ascends to possible lottery pick Murray State guard AAU team — the South Carolina ers assistant James Kane — who Hornets — also featured guard was there to scout guard Tevin averages 23.9 points Devontae Shuler, who now plays Brown — went searching for a at Mississippi. concession stand. He heard balls and 10.4 assists Williamson was the man on bouncing and peeked inside the that AAU squad, though Morant, gym for a look and saw Morant GARY B. GRAVES a year older than Williamson and dominating the game. Associated Press just 6-0, was still growing. Even Morant was a late roster ad- Ja Morant is finding ways to stay so, their AAU coach, Ricky Tay- dition and not listed, but Kane grounded following his ascension lor, said Morant’s point guard came away enamored with him to the bright lights of college bas- skills and floor leadership were and made a hard pitch for the ketball’s national stage. “unreal” — not to mention his guard. The high-flying Murray State ability to elevate. “It got to the point where it was point guard is off social media to “He could get off the ground overwhelming to Ja and they were the dismay of 141,000 followers then, but he’s getting to the rim,” ... calling daily,” the elder Morant on his verified Twitter account. Taylor said. “Those three more recalled. “Coach Kane would call He is not listening to lofty pro- inches have helped him a lot. me and be like, ‘tell your son to jections of being a top-three NBA He’s definitely more aggressive answer his phone or call me or draft pick if he leaves after this now, whereas he didn’t have to text me or something. They were season. be then.” persistent.” And until Morant’s injured The national narrative about While Kane left Murray State right ankle heals, he’s being care- Morant almost seems like this is to join former Racers coach Steve ful with his highlight-reel dunks his first year on Murray State’s Prohm at Iowa State, Morant that turned him into an overnight campus. ended up in Murray, Kentucky. sensation. But he had a solid freshman “I knew Ja was going to be a “There’s still a little bit of pain season, averaging 12.4 points, special player,” Murray State in it,” said Morant, who turned 6.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists and coach Matt McMahon said. the ankle in the early minutes helped the Racers win the Ohio “Probably didn’t know it would against Belmont on Jan. 24. “I’m Valley Conference to reach the happen this quick, but he’s an playing under the rim now, so ...” NCAA Tournament. elite talent. Add to that his abil- Nonetheless, his sophomore Now, he has taken his game ity to make everyone around him season has been over the top. to another level, averaging 23.9 better and the fact that he’s a hard The 6-foot-3 guard became points and leading the nation worker who’s a winner, that sets a sensation with his acrobatic in assists at 10.4 per a game. He TIMOTHY D. EASLEY, AP up to have this once-in-a-life- dunks, rivaling those by his for- wants to become the first player Murray State’s Ja Morant drives past SIU-Edwardsville’s Cameron Williams time type player.” mer AAU teammate — Duke’s to finish averaging those lofty during their game Saturday in Murray, Ky. Morant is among the top 15 fi- Zion Williamson. numbers since assists became an nalists for the Wooden Award, All the attention has taken official NCAA statistic in 1985- not after his performance in the ing for a small mid-major often which goes to college basket- some getting used to. 86. game he injured his ankle. He overshadowed by the Bluegrass ball’s top men’s and women’s “Honestly, it surprised me,” And though Morant’s draft returned after the injury and fin- State’s basketball powerhouses, players, and in the top 10 for the said Morant, who also leads Mur- stock is rising and financial ad- ished with 20 points and nine as- Kentucky and Louisville. It’s even Bob Cousy Award for the na- ray State with 5.6 rebounds per visers have been in constant con- sists in a 79-66 loss to Belmont. more improbable considering tion’s top point guard. game. “I didn’t think I would be tact with dad Tee Morant, any de- “I knew how resilient he was Morant wasn’t even on Murray He could be Murray State’s here right now in this position cision about his son’s future will and his threshold for pain,” Tee State’s recruiting radar initially. highest NBA draft selection, and I’m in. I know eventually that it have to wait until the spring. Morant said of his son in a phone The school discovered Mo- would follow Racer standouts would have played out in the end, Morant said he isn’t thinking interview with The Associated rant by accident in 2016 during a Cameron Payne (first-round, but it happened fast.” about turning pro. He’s focusing Press. “Once I saw him jogging, summer AAU camp in Spartan- 2015) and Isaiah Canaan (second, If the draft projections play on helping the Racers (19-4) re- I knew he was coming back in.” burg, South Carolina. 2013) into the NBA. out, Morant could be selected peat as OVC champions. It’s been an impressive journey He was playing 3-on-3 in an An improbable journey in- right after Williamson. Their Nobody is counting him out, for a little-known recruit play- auxiliary gym when then-Rac- deed. weeks ago they combined Swimming with Jonny Kulow (50 free, From B1 100 fly), Preston Plaisted (diving) and Colton Wietzki breast) claiming the only in- (500 free) to help the Tigers dividual gold, although the win 10 of 12 events, includ- Tribe also took first in the ing all three relays. 200 medley and 200 free Sublette County’s Jack- relays. son Fouras (200 IM, 100 Other swimmers to watch breast) kept Lander from in 4A include: Green River’s sweeping the top spot of Michael Richmond (200 the podium. free, 100 fly), Kelly Walsh’s If any team is going to Ian Pfaff (50 free), Cheyenne challenge Lander for 3A South’s Jared Price (200 supremacy it figures to be free, 500 free), Thunder Rawlins, which won 10 of Basin’s Gunner Poley (50 12 events to easily capture free, 100 free) and Chey- the East Regional. enne East’s Walker Marshall The Outlaws won all three (200 IM, 100 fly). relays and Dalton Coleman In 3A, Lander will be won two individual titles seeking its 23rd consecu- (200 free, 100 breast) to tive state championship. lead the way. And based on this season’s Buffalo’s John Wonka (50 results and the number of free, 100 free) was the only returnees from last year’s non-Rawlins swimmer to team the Tigers should get finish with gold. it. Action gets underway Lander senior Caleb Thursday morning at the Huelskamp (50 free, 100 Gillette Aquatic Center breast) and juniors Ryan with the 4A prelims. The Brinda (200 free) and Nick 4A finals are slated for Kulow (200 IM, 500 free) all Friday morning, followed won individual state titles by the 3A prelims. The 3A JOSH GALEMORE, STAR-TRIBUNE last year. finals take place Saturday The Laramie Plainsmen celebrate after winning the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Boys Swimming and Diving At the West Regional two morning. Championship last year Laramie. PREP ROUNDUPS BOYS STATE SWIMMING Class 1A Northeast Class 2A Northwest Class 1A Northeast Laramie at Cheyenne Central Kelly Walsh at Riverton Wyoming State High School Boys Swimming & Upton at Hulett, (n) Tongue River at Rocky Mountain NSI Academy at Kaycee Class 4A Northwest Rock Springs at Cody Diving Championships Class 1A Southeast Riverside at Greybull Midwest at Arvada-Clearmont Cody at Kelly Walsh Class 4A Southwest Thursday Hanna at Rock River, (n) Class 2A Southwest Class 1A Southeast Rock Springs at Riverton Star Valley at Evanston 2 p.m.: Class 4A prelims Interstate Kemmerer at Wyoming Indian Rock River at Guernsey Class 4A Southwest Green River at Jackson Friday Lusk 67, Edgemont, S.D. 55 Wind River at Shoshoni Class 1A Northwest Jackson at Star Valley Class 3A Northeast 10 a.m.: Class 4A finals Thursday Class 1A Northeast Ten Sleep at Burlington Class 3A Northeast Newcastle at Buffalo 3:30 p.m.: Class 3A prelims Kaycee at Arvada-Clearmont Dubois at Meeteetse Buffalo at Douglas Class 3A Southeast Class 4A Northeast Saturday Midwest at NSI Academy Class 1A Southwest Thermopolis at Newcastle Rawlins at Wheatland Natrona County at Thunder Basin 10 a.m.: Class 3A finals Class 1A Southeast Snake River at Cokeville Class 3A Southeast Burns at Torrington Class 4A Southeast Guernsey at Hanna Inter-class Rawlins at Burns Class 3A Northwest REGIONAL WRESTLING Cheyenne East at Laramie Class 1A Northwest Sundance at Hulett Torrington at Wheatland Lovell at Lander Cheyenne Central at Cheyenne South Friday-Saturday Burlington at St. Stephens Pine Bluffs at Lingle-Fort Laramie Class 3A Northwest Class 3A Southwest Class 4A Southwest Class 1A Southwest St. Stephens at Riverside Powell at Lander Mountain View at Big Piney Class 4A East Evanston at Green River Cokeville at Farson Interstate Lovell at Worland Lyman at Pinedale at Thunder Basin Class 1A Northeast Saratoga at Snake River Walden (Colo.) North Park at Encampment Class 3A Southwest Class 3A WHO’S HERE: Thunder Basin, Gillette, Sheridan, Upton at NSI Academy Class 1A Pinedale at Mountain View Worland at Thermopolis Cheyenne Central, Cheyenne East, Cheyenne South.