Tampa Prep boys basketball team eager to get things started

Posted Nov 1, 2011 by Nick Williams

Updated Nov 1, 2011 at 10:14 AM

Devontae Morgan and Josh Heath couldn’t wait for the day to get started. Both said they couldn’t sleep Sunday night.

And they weren’t thinking of trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Monday marked the first day boys basketball teams in Florida can start practice. After reaching the state final four the past three years together at Tampa Prep, Morgan and Heath were eager to start the journey once again. This season, however, they will enter the year with a huge target on their backs. ESPN ranked the Terrapins the No.6 team in Florida in its preseason poll.

“Its a bit of pressure, but living up to it will be fun,” said Heath, a 6-foot-2 junior point guard and son of USF men’s coach Stan Heath.

“I think it’s great to be recognized,” said Morgan, who next week will officially sign with Butler University. “But it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t win.”

Tampa Prep went 25-4 last season and lost to Orlando First Academy in the 2A state semifinals.

“We have high expectations for ourselves,” said head coach Joe Fenlon, who needs 15 wins to reach 600 for his career and has led the program to seven state tournaments. “It’d be nice to finish (the season) on top of the award (platform).”

And if the Terrapins are to win a state championship, they will have to go through Morgan and Heath. Last season, Morgan, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard, averaged 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while Heath averaged 12.2 points and 5.4 assists. Without hesitating, Fenlon said Heath, who has interest from Florida State and Butler to name a few, is one of the top two point guards in the state.