The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1998
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    ATHLETE OF THE MONTH: Josh Morgan
    Grove City big man keeps coming up big

    By Ed Farrell
    Herald Sports Writer

    Hakeem Olajuwon, arguably once the world's tallest soccer goalkeeper while a youngster in his native Nigeria, ultimately has developed into one of the world's best basketball players for the NBA's Houston Rockets.

    And another late-blooming youngster, potentially, could blossom into one of the best big men in Mercer County cage annals.

    PHOTO Grove City's 6-foot-9 junior center Josh Morgan swats away a shot during a recent game against Hickory. Morgan has been a force for the Eagles. (David E. Dale/Herald)


    Grove City High School junior Josh Morgan, in just three short years, has honed his game to the point where he's become a force on area hardwoods and, according to his coach, Don Fee, ``will be the best that I've coached _ and that says a lot.''

    In recognition of his ability, Morgan has been selected The Herald Sports Extra Male Athlete of the Month for January.

    Morgan's development is startling, considering he's been playing organized basketball for approximately three years. The 6-foot-9, 210-pounder attended Jubilee Christian School in Grove City through the eighth grade and _ with the exception of a smattering of tournament games _ did not have the benefit of playing in the Grove City Area School District's basketball program until matriculating there as a ninth-grader.

    That makes his 18-point, 10-rebound, 5-blocked shot, 3-assist nightly norms all the more impressive, but not as much as Fee's contention that ``he does not realize, right now, how good a player he can be.''

    Fee, who coached '96-97 Herald Fab 5 selection Amos Upshaw, is effusive in his praise of Morgan's attributes.

    ``I'm really pleased with the strides he's made this year,'' began Fee, whose Eagles are vying for a District 10 Class AAA playoff berth. ``He really made the commitment to the weight room, from about mid-summer on through the fall, and it really helped him. He still doesn't look like an `animal' out there, but he has put on weight and that's made him a much better player this year.

    ``He's surpassed my expectations with his play this year, scoring-wise, and as far as dominating games,'' Fee continued, admitting, ``I knew he had that potential.''

    ``I thought he had a great game against Meadville,'' Fee continued. ``We got beat bad (62-44), but he really battled and showed a lot of character and determination in that game. He had about 24 points and 15 rebounds, and I think that was a turning point for him; I thought he saw what he could do. And the Kennedy game (a 49-48 victory) was a tremendous game for him _ he was the `force' in that game _ he dominated that game and took away the inside, defensively, and scored (17 points) and rebounded (12),'' while adding 5 blocked shots, and it's that latter asset of which Fee is particularly fond.

    Potential, highlighted defensively by an obvious shot-blocking ability, that Fee has become particulary fond of.

    ``He just makes our defense so much better. He allows us to get out and extend our defense and pressure tougher, and if we do get beat, (opponents driving to the basket) still have him to face inside,'' Fee said. ``He's a great shot-blocker, but the great thing is he keeps the ball in play. A lot of guys swat the ball out of bounds and you don't get the possession. But we get a lot of extra possessions because he keeps it in play. And you figure, if he averages 5 blocks a game, how many other shots is he altering? He makes a big difference in our interior against tough teams.''

    Although he could see Morgan's potential years ago, Fee said even he has been somewhat surprised by Morgan's accelerated development.

    ``When he came in (as a ninth-grader), he played so well in `open gym' in the fall, made such strides there, I knew he was not gonna be challenged at the A 2ninth-grade level, so I moved him up to jayvees as a ninth-grader. He had a great year and actually ended up helping us a little bit on the varsity at the end of his freshman year.''

    Playing in Upshaw's shadow last season, Morgan, ``had a good year, but I think he was just in a comfort zone,'' Fee recalled. ``He played well at times _ he was a great player coming off the bench _ but I had expected him to step into the starting lineup before the year was out. But Robbie Hill played so well, he just wouldn't give up the position.''

    However, going up against Upshaw _ now starring at Edinboro University _ every day in practice last year ``helped (Morgan) tremendously.''

    To the extent that Fee feels Morgan, at a comparable age, is better than any of his Grove City predecessors.

    ``Amos Upshaw was a great player for us; Mike Lyle was a great player for us; Brian Cavanaugh was a great player for us,'' Fee recalled. ``But let's just say I think he has the potential to be the best player that I've coached. He has great talent, but he's also a great kid. He's got a great attitude, a good work-ethic _ he's the last kid shooting in the gym every night. He really likes the game and working at it. He's a good student, an `A' student.''

    The key for Morgan's continued improving, according to Fee, is becomoing physically stronger.

    ``The stronger he gets, the better player he'll be; a more dominating player,'' Fee said. ``But he has great potential. He has great hands for a big man, he can put the ball on the floor, he can run the court and move his feet, and he's one of our best outside shooters _ he can shoot the `3.' Not many kids 6-8 or 6-9 are that agile. He can do so many things. He's a good passer, too. He just seems to have a natural instinct for the game. You can't teach things like having good hands or timing. That's why he's got the potential to get a lot better.''

    The full breadth of Morgan's talents were exhibited recently in a 70-51 setback to George Junior Republic, when Morgan manufactured a monstrous 18-point, 17-rebound, 7-blocked shot, 6-assist, 5-steal effort.

    Fee said Morgan already is drawing interest from numerous schools, including WVU, Rider and some of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference members.

    ``Nothing real heavy, yet; just some letters of interest,'' Fee cautioned.

    But one point of which Fee is certain, however: Morgan's best basketball days are ahead of him.

    ``He's very naive about his basketball ability,'' Fee said. ``He's got a lot of potential to elevate his game; it's just a matter of how hard he works at it, and I think he will. He's got the potential; he's definitely (NCAA) Division I talent (but) at what level, I don't know. That's gonna be determined by the progress he makes from now through his senior year.''

    ``But he's gonna have a lot of opportunities,'' Fee continued, ``because of his academics and because of his all-around play and his height, of course. A kid with that kind of size and versatility? He can play a `4' or possibly a `3' in college. And at 6-9, a lot of people would like to have that.

    ``He's a great kid with a lot of character,'' Fee said of his protege, later adding, ``He's a great all-around player, I believe that, I really do. But he's not anywhere near where he's gonna go.''




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