Eric Hampford:
Future150 GM / Senior National Analyst. Covering high and middle school basketball.
Suwanee, GA (Future150) -- In the game of basketball today, young players typically emulate flashy, modern day superstars such as LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard. Overlooked are the "old school" stars of decades past. Athletes such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Isaiah Thomas, and Dominique Wilkins dominated the game of basketball for years in the NBA, but are overlooked because they are nothing but a blip on the radar of the game's history.
Jake Morris of Lambert High School in Georgia is the exception for high school athletes today. The 6'1", 165-pound point guard uses historical icons Pistol Pete Maravich and Larry Bird as inspiration for how he plays the game of basketball, and it seems to be working just fine for him.
The rising sophomore and class of 2015 lead guard already has 1 year of varsity experience playing for Lambert High School, a relatively new school in the state, being open for less than five years.
Although he plays for a new school in the state, that hasn't stopped him from starting a legacy of his own, as well as setting records at Lambert. This past season, he set the school's record for assists in a game when he compiled an eye-popping 13.
While he won't wow you with his statistics of 5.3 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, much like his "old school" style, his influence on the game usually can't be seen in the box score.
His basketball IQ is what sets him apart from other point guards his age. He consistently gets his teammates involved in the game, making them better, as well as his team in general. This isn't lost on college recruiters.
Another thing that isn't lost on the recruiters is the statistics he is putting up with his Atlanta Fastbreak AAU team. Over a 40 game stretch this spring, he has averaged 25.2 point per game while playing up with the 16U age group. More amazing than that is that he has averaged a triple-double throughout the 40 games.
Right now, Alabama, Georgia Southern, and North Florida are showing the most interest in Jake, and offers should be coming from several schools provided he has a solid summer on the AAU circuit. Even if interest and offers don't start rolling in after the summer, it won't stop Jake Morris from his main goal for his last two seasons on the high school hardwood.
"I want to lead Lambert High School to its first ever state title". If that happens, rest assured that many more schools will notice him.
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