Liam McMorrow, a former Durham Lords men's basketball player, has accepted a scholarship with NCAA Division I school, Marquette University. McMorrow spent his freshman season at Durham College, finishing third in the league in blocked shots.
Hoping to follow in the footsteps of Marquette University alumni Dwyane Wade and Doc Rivers, Liam McMorrow will pursue his basketball dreams at the NCAA Division I school.
McMorrow, who started his collegiate basketball career last year as a freshman at Durham College, has accepted a scholarship and will join the university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In 20 conference games for the Lords in 2007-2008, the 7-foot McMorrow averaged 8.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He was among league leaders in blocked shots, finishing third in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) with 23, and was eighth overall in rebounding.
"I'm not surprised that Liam is heading south to a major NCAA school based on his first collegiate season with us last year," said Ken Babcock, athletic director, Durham College. "He is a legitimate player who can run the floor, has great hands and soft touch around the basket, in addition to being a great person and a solid student."
McMorrow was a key member of a Lords squad that won six of their last seven games to earn a spot in OCAA playoffs, during which he averaged 9.9 points. He achieved a personal best of 18 points against Centennial College and a season-high 18 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action against Georgian College.
While McMorrow's transfer is a loss for the squad, it is also a direct reflection of his improvement within the highly regarded men's basketball program.
"It was great to work with Liam last season," said Desmond Rowley, head coach of the men's basketball team. "Liam worked hard on and off the court and made tremendous strides in becoming a dominant basketball player. I wish him the best of luck as he joins Marquette next season."
Due to NCAA transfer rules, McMorrow will sit out the upcoming season and will begin his three years of eligibility in the 2009-2010 season.
Marquette, a highly-recognized institution in men's college basketball, won the national title in 1977 and appeared in the Final Four in 1974 and 2003. Since graduating from Marquette, Wade has gone to become a four-time NBA all-star and NBA Finals MVP, while Rivers is head coach of the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics.