morton signs with UCR

socalogo.gif (8739 bytes)
SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Late Signing: Vili Morton
Signs With UCR--(Nov. 25, 1999)

We're just about at the end of the time when we'll be hearing about players signing National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. In fact the last date that players were permitted to sign was November 17, 1999. But that doesn't mean that everyone who did sign during that period made it public. One such player is Vili Morton (6'-9" Sr. C) from Twentynine Palms HS. While perusing the local papers today, we came across this story in the San Bernardino County Sun:

29 Palms' Morton signs with UCR

Staff Reports
San Bernardino County Sun
Published 11/24/99

TWENTYNINE PALMS Vili Morton, a 6-foot-9 center out of Twentynine Palms High School, has signed a national letter of intent with UC Riverside, his coach Brian Murray said. "They saw him at the West Valley Tournament last year and recruited him pretty hard since then," Murray said of the Highlanders. He said Morton was recruited by Rider University of New Jer sey, Boston University and Loyola Marymount, but settled on UCR "because he decided it would be good to get in on the ground floor with a D1 program kicking off next year." UCR is moving from NCAA Division II to Division I next year.

Morton averaged 15.9 points and nine rebounds per game during the 1998-99 regular season, when Twentynine Palms (23-7) reached the title game of the CIF Division IV-AA playoffs. Murray said Morton, who just turned 17, has grown two inches since his junior season. "He might have another inch in him," Murray said. "His reach already is eight feet. It's huge." Murray described Morton as a "back-to-the-basket" player who has developed a 10-foot jumper. Morton's full first name is Vilamu. He weighs 225 pounds and has played football and thrown the discus. He was the CIF Division IV discus champion with a throw of 163 feet.