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TBT: Fairmont State's Jamel Morris carving a role with Best Virginia

Jamel Morris attempts a layup against D2 on Monday.
Jamel Morris attempts a layup against D2 on Monday. (Mike Lawrence/TBT)

On paper, Jamel Morris seems like an outsider.

Looking up and down Best Virginia’s roster, among those of guys who have led West Virginia to the Final Four or seen consistent time playing in the WVU Coliseum, Morris’s experiences are cut from a different cloth.

Morris hails from Fairmont State, playing under then-assistant coach and former Mountaineer Joe Mazzulla from 2013-16. He’s the only non-West Virginia alum on the roster, which has made its way into the quarterfinals of The Basketball Tournament (TBT).

The 6-foot-4 guard has been a pivotal contributor for the team, which has needed to lean on its depth following the departures of Jaysean Paige and Sagaba Konate from the roster.

“He does so many different things,” head coach James Long said. “He can play off the lever. If you go big, small, whatever you do, he’s going to find a way to play off of other guys. These guys have done a great job welcoming him and making him feel comfortable. He can shoot, he can pass, he sees the game at a different speed and we’re lucky to have him. The further we go, the more you’ll see of him.”

Morris crafted his skills over years of involvement in the game. The 28-year-old began his college career at Glenville State, playing there for two years before transferring. After going undrafted in 2016, he had stints in leagues in Croatia, Poland and France, as well as a one-year run in the NBA G-League.

During his stops, Morris has filled roles as both a top scoring option and a supplementary piece. As he already had relationships with members of the team, his addition was a natural fit.

“It wasn’t really hard bringing him in here,” forward Kevin Jones said. “He had a great mindset; he didn’t really care how much he played, he just wanted to come in and help us win. Having a guy like that on your team, especially the way he can shoot the ball, is a big asset.”

Through two games with Best Virginia, Morris is averaging 10 points per game — fourth best on the squad.

“With that addition, we made that to try and win $1 million,” Long said. “He’s the type of guy, the more we go on in this tournament, the more he’s going to get comfortable and the more people are going to see his value.”

Best Virginia will hit the court again on Wednesday at 9 p.m., taking on Team 23 — who defeated Herd That in the second round — with a spot in the final eight on the line. The game will be televised on ESPN3.

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