IPFW didn’t have to do a whole lot of educating of their latest men’s basketball recruit. After all, you could say that Joey Morlan has Mastodon blood flowing through him.
The Blackhawk Christian sophomore was offered a scholarship by the IPFW coaches following his participating at the Mastodon’s Elite Camp on Sunday at the Gates Sports Center and could possibly one day walk in the same footsteps of his parents.
“I’ve always liked the coaching staff a lot,” Morlan said. “I’ve been going to camp there since the second grade, so I know them real well.”
Morlan has been familiar with the IPFW basketball program for his entire life. Both of his parents (Jim Morlan and Lisa Zehr Morlan) played basketball there in the mid-1980s and his mother also was a standout on the IPFW volleyball squad.
“The coaches pulled me aside after the camp today and said that I had a scholarship if I wanted it,” Morlan said. “I am really excited because it’s my first offer.”
The 6-foot-4 wing said that “shooting is my biggest strength.” But he has been working on getting to the rim more and his mid-range game as well.
Morlan averaged over eight points per game as a freshman for Blackhawk Christian High School and connected on almost 40 percent of his three-point shots (49 of 125). He also pulled down over four rebounds per game.
Morlan’s production was limited to just performing against Class A competition. His most efficient game of last season was an 18-point effort (6 of 8 from three point range) in a six-point defeat against Wayne High School. He also scored 10 points and grabbed six boards against Carroll and had a 13-point, four-rebound performance against New Haven.
Though thrilled with the prospect of playing for IPFW, Morlan said that he was going to be patient and see how the recruiting process plays out before making a decision.
“I’m not going to decide any time soon,” Morlan said.
