Devin Morgan is known as a star on the basketball court, but his humble attitude and personality is what unites Matoaca’s basketball team and interests colleges in his abilities. Morgan has been playing basketball for as long as he can remember, starting out on his Fisher-Price basketball hoop and moving up from there. He’s gained an impressive reputation as a shooter and point guard, with colleges taking notice of his skills.
“I just want to make sure it’s [college]the right fit. I want to go somewhere where I’m needed and somewhere where I’m wanted. With that being said, I want the coach to believe in me enough for me to play and I don’t want him to have to guarantee me anything. I want to work for everything I get,” Morgan explained.
His skill set on the court, specifically his strength at shooting, has persuaded his coach to place him in more of a shooting role this year, though Morgan hopes that in college he’ll be able to focus completely on being a point guard.
“As far as a point guard, I like to get everybody involved. I love getting assists. If I can get a double-double every game I would love it as long as we’re winning,” Morgan stated.
Morgan’s triumphs have been very well-celebrated through the support of his family.
“My number one fan is my little brother, Sean, and of course all of my family. I have family here in central Richmond and family in D.C. and in the Hampton-Tidewater area as well, and they’re at all of my games.”
Although Morgan proves to be a natural on the court, basketball wasn’t his calling right off the bat.
“When I was younger I used to love football. Then I watched Alan Anderson and Michael Jordan tapes every day and used to always try stuff on my Fisher-Price goal. After I told my dad I wanted to start at the YMCA, then I started playing rec. My AAU coach caught my eye and then after that I told them I didn’t want to play any other sports. I just wanted to focus on basketball,” Morgan said.
His years and years of practice have paid off in his favor with VMI showing strong interest in his skills. Though Morgan thinks his shot is overshadowed because of his role as point guard, that hasn’t stopped him from pulling out excellent aim from three-point land when essential. Georgia State’s interest has ramped up, and Fairmont State, a Division II school from West Virginia, was spotted at the L.C. Bird Tournament two weekends ago.
“My coach has put me in more of a shooting role this year. But recently in practice I’ve been running point a lot to get the team involved,” he explained.
The senior made a splash early last year, picking up offers from Longwood, Radford, and Northern Arizona. Since then, at least one of the schools (Radford) has filled their scholarship spots. Morgan has been patient and analytical about where he plays next.
“It’s a process,” said Morgan. “I’m grateful to have people interested in me, it’s humbling.”
What exactly will colleges get with the 5-foot 9 inch point guard? For one, a good decision maker. Few teams have been able to hold Morgan to under 20 points in a game, but earlier this season against Turner Ashby when they employed a semi-successful “Box and 1” defense, Morgan turned to distributing the ball, racking up the assists as the Warriors cruised to victory. Morgan has always been a good shooter, but this year it seems as though his range borders on ridiculous. Against Meadowbrook on December 12, the guard dominated the game in overtime, knocking down four three-pointers from beyond NBA range.
Although Morgan has outstanding ability on the court, his humble attitude and sportsmanship prove to be his main draw. This three-point shooting, assist-seeking point guard has a lot to offer when it comes the next level.
Wherever the senior goes, his positive attitude and search for improvement will help him on his path to success. First up, it’s guiding 8-1 Matoaca to a strong finish for the season. The march continues this Thursday as Matoaca travels to Hermitage for a 7:15 p.m. tip-off.
