Glendora, CA - Citrus men's basketball assistant coach Vili Morton arrived in Ballarat, Australia in late January and has been making noise ever since. After a stellar pre-season, Morton is expected to contribute greatly in his first season with the Ballarat Miners.
"We sat down and looked long and hard at our roster after 2005," said Mr Dunne, front office executive with the Miners. "We needed a dominant big man to add to our strong core of players, many of whom were part of our squad that won the ABA title in 2001. After seeing Vili this pre-season, we now know we made the right decision and his is definitely the inside presence we needed. Vili has shown he is a strong rebounder and amazing shot blocker and we are confident that he is our man."
While it is still early in the Miners season, Morton has made a big impact on the court, averaging near a double-double each night. He was already fielded one visit and try-out from Wollongong, a prominent National Basketball League team in Australia.
After graduating from UC Riverside in 2005 as one of the it's most decorated athletes, Morton joined the Citrus College coaching staff as an assistant and was in charge of developing the teams post players. "Vili is a brilliant communicator," said Head Coach Rick Croy, "and his work ethic is unmatched."
Morton will return home in August and resume his coaching duties with the Fighting Owls at the end of Australia's ABA season.