November 10, 2011

Anthony Morse gives Tech second early-period signee

Another prospect from the state of Georgia has chosen to make Tennessee Tech his college basketball home.

Dacula (Ga.) senior was high school teammate of current Golden Eagle Matt Marseille

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Another prospect from the state of Georgia has chosen to make Tennessee Tech his college basketball home.

Golden Eagle head coach Steve Payne announced Thursday the signing of Anthony Morse, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound senior forward at Dacula High School in Dacula, Ga. Morse is the Golden Eagles’ second signee of the 2012 early period, joining Shaqueille Calhoun, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard from Rome, Ga.

Morse comes from the same high school program as current Tech junior forward Matt Marseille. While he says the fact that Marseille is now in Cookeville did not factor into his decision, he called it a “bonus” to be re-united with his former teammate at Tech.

As a junior at Dacula, Morse averaged eight points to go with 7.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. Also a track and field athlete whose specialty is the high jump, Morse plays AAU basketball for the Georgia Stars, a club which has turned out current Tech talents Zac Swansey, Kevin Murphy and Terrell Barnes.

“We’ve had a lot of luck in the past with players who have come to us from the Georgia Stars,” Payne said. “He comes from the same high school program that turned out Matt Marseille, and we know we are getting a good kid from a good background. Anthony is an extremely smart player with great length and athletic ability. If he continues to develop his floor game and improve his range on his jump shot, he can be a great player for us as he is already an excellent athlete.”

In its assessment of Morse, ESPN.com called the combo forward a “great-looking prospect with tremendous upside.” According to the scouting service, Morse is an active athlete comfortable at the power forward position but skilled enough to play facing the basket on the perimeter.

“His biggest strength is that he’s extremely athletic,” said Dacula head coach B.J. Roy. “He’s continuing to develop his game without the ball in his hands and he has come a long way over the past three years. Tennessee Tech has been recruiting him since his sophomore year, so they know the player they are getting. It also helps that he is the second player from our program to go to Tennessee Tech. He should have a chance to be a really good player for them.”

Morse said he chose Tech because of the family atmosphere and the chance it offers him to play in an NCAA Tournament.
“The education, structure and family base at Tennessee Tech all fit what I was looking for,” he said. “I want to do what I can to help our team succeed and get to the Big Dance. I feel coach Payne will be able to push me to get my game to the next level.”

The son of Keith and Alice Morse, he plans to major in business management at Tech.