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Marcus Morris recently told his Prep Charter teammates if they didn’t win the 2007 Public League championship, they would have to pick him up off the floor.
Luckily, they didn’t have to worry about trying to lift the 6-foot-9 senior from the Temple University Liacouras Center court, thanks to a March 2, 49-48 victory over Simon Gratz. Instead, his teammates found themselves having a tough time trying to pry the championship trophy — the first in any sport for Prep Charter — out of Morris’ hands.
"For all three years I’ve been trying to get that trophy," an ecstatic Morris said as his teammates celebrated in the background. "This is what I’ve been working for my whole life. This is the way to go out as a senior."
Call it a send-off party for Morris and his 6-foot-10 twin brother Markieff, who scored the game-winning basket. With 16.3 seconds showing on the clock and defending champ Gratz leading 48-47, Markieff took a shot and put back his miss.
"This is the greatest feeling in the world," game MVP Markieff said as he worked the post-game interview circuit. "We finally got it this year."
The twin towers both came up huge in the big game. Marcus tallied 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and one crucial block in the final seconds. Markieff finished with a line of 23 points, 18 rebounds — tying for the fifth most in Public League championship history — and eight blocks. Before the start of the fourth quarter, the brothers consoled each other, with the focus on finishing strong.
"We’ve got each other’s backs," Marcus said of the conversation. "We’ve got to carry this team."
After splitting their freshman year between the former St. John Neumann and Simon Gratz, they arrived at Prep Charter as sophomores wanting to help build the basketball program.
The Memphis University-bound athletes almost achieved their championship aspirations in ’05, losing to Central in the final. As juniors, their Huskies were eliminated by Communications Tech in the quarterfinals, but made city history by becoming the first Philadelphia school to win a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association AA state title.
Now, the championship picture is almost complete. Prep Charter will open its defense of the PIAA AA state crown March 10 at South Philadelphia High against Trinity of District 3.
Coach Dan Brinkley said sacrifice is fitting to describe the twins.
"They wanted it so bad," Brinkley said of the Public League title. "They’ve been ridiculed for not going to [neighborhood school] Gratz and not staying at Neumann. They made a commitment to help build the program and that’s what they’ve done."
It’s only apt their first city championship would come against league powerhouse Gratz. Last week was the first-ever meeting between AAAA school Gratz and Prep Charter.
"We wanted to win the ‘Pub’ and I would rather take it from Gratz, the reigning kings," Brinkley said.
"[Simon Gratz coach Leonard Poole] is a great coach. You always want to test your mettle against the best, and [the Gratz Bulldogs] have been the bullies on the block for the longest time. Prep Charter is just setting up shop."
The Prep Charter-Gratz match-up is one Marcus had been looking forward to since he arrived in South Philly.
"I never got a chance to play against them," Marcus said. "We played them when it really mattered and beat them."
The victory didn’t come easy. In the third quarter, Prep Charter led by as many as nine points, but it shrunk to four heading into the last eight minutes. The rest of the way was a seesaw, with neither squad holding more than a four-point advantage. The final seconds were filled with drama, including an early celebration by the Huskies and their fans.
After Markieff made what ended up being the game-winning basket, Gratz got the ball and attempted a couple shots, one of which was deflected by Marcus. The buzzer sounded, and Prep Charter supporters were shouting at the top of their lungs.
Only problem: The game wasn’t over. With 1.3 seconds left on the clock, Gratz would get one more chance at victory. Charles White attempted a three-pointer, which bounced off the rim. This time the trophy went to the Huskies.
"I was hoping they didn’t make the shot," Marcus said of the final attempt.
With the win, Prep Charter is the first city school in any sport to win a Public League title.
"It means a lot because a whole lot of people in the city doubted us," sophomore Parrish Grant said. "Ever since our first loss [to Central], they said we are too little to win a Public League championship. We came through and proved everybody wrong."
Fellow sophomore Jesse Morgan is happy to send the twins out on top.
"This championship was for them," he said. "The sophomores and freshmen have more time to come. This one is for the twins and [senior] Kev [Radford]."
With the huge trophy firmly in their hands, the only thing left to do was celebrate.
"We’re going to do something, just not sure what it is yet," Marcus said. "Trust me, we are going to do something."
