By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Mike Morris headed north to attend college after graduating from Silver Lake Regional High School in 1992.

He joined the men's basketball program at the former Rivier College in Nashua, N.H., but after one season decided to move closer to home.

That led Morris to the former Bridgewater State College where he would be a teammate of a close friend from his hometown of Kingston, Dan Hunt.

"Best move I ever made," says Morris now.

In just three seasons with the Bears, Morris scored 1,427 career points, placing him 12th on the school's all-time list.

He ranks second in career scoring average (18.8 points in 76 games) to rank behind only Joe Wise (23.4 points from 1980-73).

Morris also contributed 464 rebounds, 164 assists and 92 steals while shooting 55 percent from the floor from 1993-96.

He made the All-MASCAC first team as a junior and senior in 1994-95 and 1995-96 and appeared in the New England Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-Star Game.

It was a sensational career for Morris after he transferred, and he will be honored by being inducted into the Bridgewater State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday night as part of Homecoming Weekend.

Morris, Hunt (1,563 career points from 1992-96 to rank fifth at BSU) and Bruce Higgins (1,727 points from 1993-97 for third place on the school's all-time list) formed a potent trio during their three seasons together.

The Bears, who had gone through four straight sub-.500 seasons, went 16-9 in the 1994-95 season, then 18-10 a year later to earn a spot in the ECAC Division 3 tournament. That was Bridgewater State's first trip to the postseason since a 1983 appearance in the NCAA tournament.

It also kicked off a run of four consecutive trips to the postseason, including the firsts of seven NCAA berths under coach Joe Farroba.

Morris will take his place in the Hall of Fame after having a hand in that success, including the Bears going 19-5 in the MASCAC his final two seasons playing at Kelly Gym.

"This is really a tribute to my teammates, Bruce and Dan, Joe Farroba and (retired director of athletics) John Harper," said Morris. "The program wasn't great when the three of us got there. One of the things I take the most pride in is turning that around and building the foundation for what they've had the last 25-30 years."

Morris was looking for a change after that one year at Rivier, and things fell into place at Bridgewater State.

Hunt, now the boys basketball coach at Concord-Carlisle, had transferred there after spending one semester at Colby College in Maine and gave Morris a positive scouting report.

"My best friend growing up, Dan Hunt, had transferred there and I knew he really liked coach Farroba," said Morris. "I had played against Salem State and Fitchburg State when I was at Rivier and I did really well against them. I kind of wanted a higher level of competition and the MASCAC offered that.

"People ask me about different stuff, should I have gone somewhere else or gone to prep school. My brother (Andy) played at Saint Anselm and he played against guys from Stonehill and I know I could have competed at that level.

"But I wouldn't trade any of that for the years I spent at Bridgewater, the relationships I built, the people I met that I'm still in contact with now."

Morris steadily improved during his time in college to the point where he was one of the best players in the MASCAC.

"By the time I was a junior, that's when things started to take off," he said. "I had grown three or four inches since the end of my senior year in high school. I got quicker, faster and stronger.

"I worked hard. We used to go out and play a lot. Basketball is one of the sports you can practice on your own and I did that. I did that a lot. I really wanted to be a good basketball player and I made myself into one."

After his basketball career ended, Morris joined the Bridgewater State football team for the 1996 season and made seven catches for 112 yards, leading the team with four receiving touchdowns.

"Coach Mazz (retired football coach Pete Mazzaferro) calls me the basketball player who played football," said Morris. "He still remembers me."

Morris is now living in Maine where he is part owner of a facility that helps people in recovery from substance abuse.

Morris makes the trip south to Bridgewater State to watch the basketball team, and the trip this week back to the campus will be a special one.

"I still follow it, the basketball and football teams," said Morris. "I love it. I talk to coach Farroba every couple of weeks. The place still means a lot to me.

"It'll be good to see everybody. It means a lot. My kids are old enough to see it. I remember my dad (Thomas) got inducted into the Silver Lake Hall of Fame and I remember the ceremony and how proud he was to have his kids watch him get recognized. It's going to be nice."