Scholastic digest: It's official: Morse headed to St. Bonaventure

Boys' basketball

It's official: Morse headed to St. Bonaventure

STATE COLLEGE -- With his father at his side, State College Area High School senior Willie Morse on Wednesday signed a national letter of intent to attend Saint Bonaventure University and play basketball for the Bonnies.

"There it is," Morse said as he finished penning his signature on a pair of forms that officially makes him a member of the Bonnies.

Morse, a 6-foot-3 guard who helped State College to its only PIAA state basketball championship in 2003, finished his high school career as the Little Lions' third-leading career scorer with 1,497 points. He averaged 14.7 points last season in helping the Little Lions reach the state semifinals.

"This comes from a lot of dreaming at a young age," Morse said. "It's a lot of work paying off."

Morse, an Associated Press Class AAAA first team all-state selection as a senior, becomes just the third State College player since 1970 to earn a full athletic scholarship for basketball. Chris Dodds was the first in 1978. The other is Gabe Norwood, a teammate of Morse's from 2001-03, who is currently playing at George Mason.

St. Bonaventure was 7-21 this past season, its first under head coach Anthony Solomon, who took over the program last year after a player eligibility scandal landed the program on NCAA probation.

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