Though the signing period for the premiere high school basketball players has drawn to a close, the University of Wisconsin basketball team is trying to add one last player to its 2003-04 recruiting class.
Zach Morley, a 6-foot-8, 225-pound sophomore power forward for the Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, IA will visit Madison this weekend to tour the campus and talk things over with the coaching staff. If all goes well, the Maryville, Mo. native will become the final addition to the defending Big Ten Champions next season.
Morley averaged 16 points and eight rebounds per game this past season for the Warriors. Indian Hills is one of the more notable Junior College programs in the nation, winning three consecutive JUCO National Championships from 1997-99. The Warriors’ current roster includes former Wisconsin High School Player of the Year honoree Greg Brown who played for Milwaukee-Vincent.
Morley is also considering Big Ten rival Minnesota along with Iowa State, Utah and New Mexico as possible programs. He looks to make his final decision in a few weeks as to where he will use his last two seasons of eligibility.
Morley has caught the eyes of several Division I programs because of his solid shooting touch to go along with his lanky frame. A near 35 percentage from 3-point land coupled with a high rebounding average has Morley looking like an ideal fit for Wisconsin’s swing offense. He would be looked to as a valuable addition to the Badger post, which lacked depth last season.
Experts saw Morley as one of the most improved players in the JUCO ranks, really excelling his all around game as a sophomore. No matter the school, experts sight Morley’s versatility as reason to contribute instantly once he hits the Division I hardwood. The only area of concern surrounding Morley is his lack of bulk and strength for a post player.
As a senior at Maryville High School, Morley was an all-conference and second-team all-state selection, as well as an all-met selection in the Kansas City area. In his first season at Indian Hills, Morley averaged 8points and four rebounds per game coming off the bench.
