There is tangible evidence of Kwame Morgan’s offseason weight-lifting regimen — 25 additional pounds and 29 points per game.
But there also is an intangible benefit of the long hours Morgan and his Largo teammates spent pumping iron. With the weight room serving as their chemistry lab, the Lions laid the groundwork for their 18-0 start.
“That’s where we became one,” said senior point guard Mo Colter. “Working out hard and playing together, all of us, all summer, all spring, all fall.”
With 6-foot-10 junior Maurice Sutton manning the lane, the relentless Colter forcing the tempo, and the 6-3 Morgan finishing inside and out, Largo is literally running away from its competition.
“Playing this way is fun,” said Morgan. “We get to show how athletic we are.”
Morgan, the top scorer in Prince George’s County, has the numbers, but is quick to credit Colter with assists on and off the court. During a workout session last summer, while their teammates packed up to leave, Colter insisted that Morgan stay.
“He said, ‘You’re not going anywhere tonight,’” said Morgan. “He pushed me to get better. He said it’s our senior season and we had a chance to make it special.”
Tonight at Central, coach Lewis Howard’s team will try to keep its streak alive. Largo has already clinched the Prince George’s 3A/2A/1A title, earning a berth in the county title game, Feb. 21.
It’s a long way from last season, when Largo was an underachieving 15-7 with Colter and Sutton buried on the bench. This year, only one of Largo’s top seven scorers returned. That was Morgan, who averaged 12 points per game as a streaky perimeter threat.
This year, however, at 210 pounds, the left-handed Morgan can pound inside, but still has the quickness to slash to the basket, or work for medium-range jumpers. Morgan has hit the 40-point mark twice and averages 11 rebounds per game.
“The weights got me stronger, healthier,” said Morgan. “I go up with the ball now and even if I get hit, it’s like nobody’s there. I just have more confidence, anywhere on the court.”
Lionized
» Sutton averages 12 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks per game. The junior has attracted interest from North Carolina State, Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky among others.
» Colter, the Lions’ second-leading scorer, averages 17.9 points per game.
» Morgan and Colter have drawn interest from several MEAC schools.
