Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 10, 1994 TAG: 9404100063
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
How could a coach at a school primarily known in sports for its football team, not be honored after leading the basketball team to a state championship?
Not only did Salem end the area's long state championship drought since old Andrew Lewis won a Group AAA crown in 1968, but it also gave the Blue Ridge District its first state title since Glenvar won the 1975 crown.
Morgan had to battle Parry McCluer's Nelson Fox, William Fleming's Burrall Paye and Northside' Billy Pope for the honor.
All Fox did was take Parry McCluer to within one game of a state championship after the Fighting Blues had to play five games in seven days. Parry McCluer got stronger and gave No. 1 William Monroe all it wanted before losing 51-43 in the Group A state finals.
Paye turned a so-so season with a young Fleming team into a run for the Group AAA state crown as the Colonels lost to Meadowbrook 70-65 in the title game. Northside went 22-6 and all the losses were to Salem as the Vikings just couldn't figure out a way to beat the state's best Group AA team.
For Morgan, his state title was the culmination of two great years as the Spartans' coach after he came back from Tennessee to his native Salem to take over the position. In that time, the Spartans have gone 42-6.
"I didn't dream it could be built this fast. I wasn't looking at building it from a standpoint of wins," said Morgan.
"Number one, you have to have kids who believe in what you're doing, have a great attitude and work at it. The other thing we did this year was that the guys believed in each other. That's a big ingredient in having a good team."
Morgan's teams are made in the summer when he takes his squad to camp in Tennessee.
"We play more than 20 games. I don't require kids to go, but we had more than 30 in Tennessee. They really work with kids, teach them the game of basketball. One of the kids said, `It's like a 6-day Salem practice,' " said Morgan.
"Open gyms are fine, but guys have to be together, playing together. When they roll in here in November, I know basically what I have and I don't have."
"I guess I do insist on a lot, but it's no different from any other coach. I'm sure [Salem football coach] Willis [White] wants a commitment from the player. He tells them that if they want to be good, they have to put time in in the weight room. I tell kids if they want to be good basketball players, they have to put time in during the off-season."
Morgan's view won't endear him to people who like high school kids to play three sports and still be a student. Morgan says going beyond two sports can extend a youngster.
"I think there's room for a high school athlete to excel at more than one sport. If a kid is involved in two, possibly three sports, it requires quite a bit. Then I look at the academic side and ask when does he have time to be a kid. You have to be a really outstanding athlete to go beyond two sports.
"I tell kids involved with two sports [like football and basketball], I am going to require some time. Once you improve your skill level and you're with us, I'm going to try and develop the best team I can. I don't want you to play unless you give 100 percent."
On this level, Morgan has a new kind of Salem team. "I've talked with the [returning] players and said this was a special year. Next year we'll approach it as a new team and new season," he added.
"You can't get ahead if you look back. No question, people will come after us. People will want to play their best against Salem."
That's a lot different from the way it used to be.
by CNB