Long Beach State University Athletics
Morris is 49ers Everyman
1/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
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Morris is 49ers Everyman Now, the 6-foot-3 guard could quit and maybe play basketball overseas. Or he could stay at Long Beach State and show the new coaching staff that he wasn't a bench player, but a starter. "I was a little worried. I wondered if I was going to be kicked to the curb again," Morris said. "So I worked extra hard this summer so there wouldn't be any question." Whatever doubts newly hired coach Dan Monson harbored about the junior transfer were quickly dispelled, despite not having seen any game film on him. Morris sat out last season after transferring from Fresno State. "The best thing about Donovan is that he's coachable," Monson said. "From the first day I met him, it's been 'What do you want me to do, Coach?' " How about everything? Morris leads the team in scoring, rebounding, is second in steals and tied for first with 39 assists. He has been on the court for 601 of the 650 minutes the 49ers have played, and that includes all 40 minutes in a Big West loss against UC Riverside last Saturday. And he's not just good by Long Beach standards. Morris ranks in eight of the Big West's statistical categories, among them scoring (third at 18.3 points a game), 3-point percentage (third, 45.7 percent) and minutes played (first, 37.6). "The biggest thing I tell him is not to get frustrated, that this is going to make him a better player," Monson said. "I tell him because if you just score, we're going to lose. You have to do everything – rebound, defend, help take care of the ball. It's going to make him a complete player." And a happy one. Morris came to Long Beach State from Fresno State, where he never clicked with Coach Steve Cleveland. Ray Lopes had recruited Morris to Fresno State and quickly recognized his potential. As a freshman, he started 24 of 29 games and scored in double figures 19 times while averaging 11.7 points and 3.4 rebounds. He shot 42.5 percent from the 3-point line and posted two 20-point games. Yet, when Lopes was replaced with Cleveland the next season, Morris found himself on the bench, a part-time player who averaged 7.5 points. From there, Morris said, things "went downhill" and he ultimately left, transferring to Long Beach. Morris knew former coach Larry Reynolds and assistant Reggie Howard from when they coached at Cal State San Bernardino. But that didn't turn out the way Morris envisioned, either. Howard was suspended amid an NCAA investigation and Reynolds was fired last spring despite an NCAA Tournament appearance, leaving Morris' future in limbo. Leaving him again to look around and ponder his options. Stay or go? "I was worried, yeah, a little bit because it was a new coach again and every year I've played, I've had a new coach," Morris said. "I wasn't really thinking about leaving because I wanted to stay and see what he (Monson) was all about. I was curious." Morris said he didn't know much about Monson until he did a little online research. What he found out was that Monson had taken mediocre teams, teams in turmoil, and turned them into winners. He wanted to be a part of that. Only, that hasn't happened. The 49ers, who play Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday, are 4-9 overall and 1-4 in conference, losing to last-place Riverside after leading by seven points with three minutes remaining. It's been a frustrating season for Morris. "It's not going as well as I want it to go," Morris said. "I keep seeing us have the fight, but the finishing factor isn't right. We shoot ourselves in the foot every time. My patience is being tested, but there's still a long way to go in the season." |
