Brett Bounds helps Morris end three-game slide with win over Wilmington

MORRIS – It wasn’t the greatest start to 2025 on Friday for the Morris boys basketball team in a nonconference loss to Sandwich.

But on Saturday afternoon, Morris (7-6) got back in the win column, utilizing a stingy defense and a offensive spark provided by Brett Bounds to claim a 49-36 nonconference win over Wilmington.

Bounds scored a game-high 24 points and hauled in four rebounds. He had six points in the first quarter and eight in the second, hitting three 3-pointers to help Morris get out to a 27-19 halftime lead.

“Our defense was really good,” Bounds said. “We were able to get some turnovers and turn them into transition points. That’s when we are at our best.

“We are a pretty young team, but us four seniors [Bounds, Jack Wheeler, Ximi Baftiri and Colin Pfeifer] have been playing together for a while. We know each other on the court. We hit a bit of a rough patch last week, but we are starting to get our basketball legs and we will get better the rest of the season.”

The 6-foot-5 Wheeler got Morris off to a quick start as he opened the game with a basket and, after a Bounds 3-pointer, delivered a steal and layup for a 7-3 Morris lead. Wheeler, who finished with 15 points and four rebounds, was a force on defense at the point of Morris' 1-3-1 zone as his combination of length and quickness gave Wilmington (8-4) fits.

In the second quarter, Wheeler got his second steal at the top of the zone and went the length of the court for a dunk and a 25-12 Morris lead after Bounds had scored the team’s first eight points of the quarter on a pair of 3-pointers and a driving basket.

Wilmington, though, rallied to outscore Morris 7-2 the rest of the quarter, getting four points from Lucas Rink, who led the team with 13 points and five rebounds. Teammate Ryan Nelson finished with 10 points.

The Wildcats cut it to 27-21 to start the third quarter on a basket by Brysen Meents (6 points, 5 rebounds) and, midway through the period, a 3-pointer by Ryan Kettman (5 points) brought Wilmington to within 31-26.

A pair of free throws by Nelson late in the third brought Wilmington to within 36-30, but Morris' Landon Norris drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer to send his team into the fourth with a 39-30 lead.

“We are a pretty good defensive team and we were able to keep Morris in the 40s,” Wilmington coach Doug Krop said. “We had some turnovers, some miscommunications on screens and some opportunities near the basket that we didn’t finish. Against a solid team like Morris, you can’t do that.

“Our guys never quit fighting. With the way we play defense, we are always going to be playing close games, so it was great to see them not give up. I thought we did a good job against Wheeler. We knew we would have to help on him a lot, and we did that.

“We are still not fully healthy. We hope to get Kyle Farrell back next week, and having him back on the floor will make a big difference for us.”

Wilmington pulled to within 40-34 after back-to-back baskets by Rink and Nelson early in the fourth, but Bounds went 5 of 6 from the free throw line down the stretch and Morris' defense allowed just one more Wilmington basket the rest of the way.

“After a three-game slide, it was good for our guys' psyches to get back home and get a win,” Morris coach Joe Blumberg said. “It could have been cleaner. We had some turnovers we need to clean up, but give credit to Wilmington. They are a scrappy, physical team that attacks on both ends of the floor.

“We need Jack to play on the block more than he did last year, and he is doing it in order to help the team. When teams double- and triple-team him, we have to make them pay by hitting shots when he kicks it out. I thought Brett Bounds did a great job of showing that he is the best perimeter scorer on the floor. Right now, we are looking to get some more consistency.”