2008-09 Titan Player Journals

Jordan Morris (6-3 senior guard, Pekin H.S.)

2007-08 Stats: 8.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 41-113 3-pt (.363)

High school:  Averaged 17.5 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists as a senior at Pekin...made 44 3-pointers...scored 1,523 points in prep career...3rd team all-state Illinois Basketball Coaches Association… Associated Press honorable mention all-state… Peoria Journal Star all-area first team…Mid-Illini all-conference player and all-conference Mid-State 6… three time all-area selection in Pekin Daily Times…team "MVP" and "Best Defense Award" winner as a senior… 1st Team Pekin Holiday all-tournament team and "Mr. Hustle" award winner .

Entry #2 - November 18, 2008

Hello again Titan fans!

It has been over 5 weeks since my last entry, and boy has it been a busy one. With practice starting, my internship, and my classes (which the first week of practice happened to be perfectly timed for mid-terms) taking up almost all my time, these weeks have just been a blur. I cannot remember a pre-season since 6th grade basketball at Washington Middle School (correlation later on in the entry) that went so fast, but they do say time flies when you're having fun!

In the pre-season we had two scrimmages against St. Francis and MacMurray College. In both games we struggled at times, but flourished collectively at times as well. I feel like our intensity and work ethic has been progressing everyday in practice. This week in practice our word of the week was "tenacity". As most readers of this know, CCIW play is very physical and intense, and we have been working hard to elevate our sense of urgency on the floor. It especially helped when our co-captain Brett Chamernik practiced for the first time all year. Just the worth ethic and intensity he brings to the gym ignites other players on the team, me being one of them. Hopefully he will recover soon from his injured shin and be back on the floor as soon as possible.

So, this weekend we are traveling to Manchester, IN to play two games. I am very confident that we will play very good and swipe two victories from those boys in Indiana. We have many talented players at all five positions, and I believe that our depth is a tremendous advantage. Coach Rose, Stein, and Jones (It is so hard for me to call him Coach Jones after playing with him freshman year, which is probably why most times I call him Chris unlike the young guns. Most of them are afraid of him, and if I were in their shoes I would be too haha) have done a great job of preparing us for this weekend and I cannot wait to get out there and compete!

On a lighter note, I have a fun fact of the day that I am quite sure most of you do not know. I may have graduated from Pekin, but out of the past 15 years of my life I have lived in Washington for 13 of them. And it just so happens, that Sean Johnson and I are neighbors. When Coach Rose my sophomore year asked me if I knew a kid named Sean Johnson from Washington I said, "Ya I know him real well. He is my neighbor." I have known Sean and his family ever since I moved to Washington in 2nd grade. His older brother, Andy, was my age and we were in the same classes for years, which is where I met Mrs. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson would always be there to chaperone and help out teachers during class parties and such, if you ever get a chance to talk to her do; she is a very nice young lady. As for me and Sean, we were in the same grade school as well. My 8th grade year he was in 6th grade. If you think he is small now, you should have seen him then. I do not want to boast in the entry, but if you want to hear some good stories about me just ask my guy SeanJohn. Sean, his siblings (Andy and Grant), and his parents have been great to me and my family, and are what a good neighbor should be. Sean in high school was very successful in basketball, and I know that he will continue that success here at IWU.

Until next time,

JMo #20

Entry #1 - October 13, 2008

Hello Titan Fans!

I can't believe only one more week before practice starts for my senior season. These past three years have gone by so quickly it is ridiculous. Feels like just yesterday Keelan was dropping treys on me all day in practice and Coach Trost was yelling at Dauksas. Those seniors were an amazing group of guys and I owe a lot of my success as a student and as a player to them. I hope as a senior this year I can impact the new freshman as those seniors impacted me.

Speaking of freshman, we have a great group of guys that came in. With all our pre-season workouts (lifting, open gym and conditioning) they have gotten into the flow of things here pretty good. These freshmen are not only good men, but also great basketball players. The future looks very bright for them and it will be exciting to watch them grow.

The season begins on October 18th and I cannot wait to get started. As all Illinois Wesleyan fans may and should always expect, we are going to have a really good team this year. In the four years I have been here, this is the hardest we have worked as a team in the pre-season. Guys are getting after it hard and it has gotten very competitive. It is going to be a really fun year and we are looking forward to working hard for all you Titan fans!

As for me personally I will be graduating this May with a degree in Risk Management and Financial Services. As for my living situation, I am rooming with my roommate from freshman year Brett Chamernik at an apartment off campus near ISU. He is a great friend and we always have a great time together. I feel like I recently have been spending more time trying to get a job then on my school work or basketball. It is definitely a job in itself finding one haha. It has been an experience, but a fun one as well as I move along into another chapter in my life. I started an internship at a State Farm Agent's office last year and I will continue to work there until I graduate. I really got a chance to see how the insurance business works and I developed a passion for it. So if anyone needs a hard working, intelligent and all around great guy to work for them in the insurance business do not hesitate to contact me haha (sorry Q I had market myself a little bit).

Illinois Wesleyan is a special place where you make special relationships with great people. One of those special relationships I made here was with a great man named Kevin Bryant. I am sure most of you know of the tragedy that happened to us this summer. He was the best teammate I have ever had. He did not care who scored or who got the glory. All he wanted was for the Titans to win. He was also an amazing friend to all who knew him and just an overall great man. KB just had one of those smiles that could always put one on your face as well. He will be greatly missed in the Titan community.

I would also like to thank Q and all Illinois Wesleyan men's basketball followers for making this player journal possible. We get many experiences here that no other Division III school has. It is an amazing place to be a student athlete. LETS GO TITANS!!!!

Until next time,

JMo #20