Boys' Basketball: Morton snares first team, All-HOIC honors

By BRANDON HURLEY

Sports Editor
sports@beeherald.com
@BrandonJHurley

Greene County’s Carter Morton established himself quite well this winter despite a season marred by a pair of six game losing streaks and one of the lowest win totals in years.
The senior was awarded with a first team, All Heart of Iowa Conference honors after leading the Ram boys’ basketball team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, free throws made and three-pointers made.
Morton was top 10 in the league in each of the aforementioned categories, scoring a career-best 17.1 points per game (fourth in the league) while he swiped the second-most steals (57) – which tied him for 10th in 3A. He also connected on the fifth-most three-pointers (48). The future UNI Panther high jumper was sixth in total assists (68) and seventh in rebounding average (6.5 rpg). If that weren’t enough, Morton was also second in the league with 76 made free throws, converting on 74.5 percent of his attempts.
No other Greene County athlete averaged more than 8.2 points per game (Bryce Stalder) while the sophomore was also second on the team in steals with 30.
Morton scored more than 30 points in a single game several times this winter, including a career-high 38 points in a narrow win over Panorama, 73-72 on Jan. 13, a contest in which Morton drilled the game-winning free throw with less than 10 seconds remaining. Morton splashed 7-of-12 three point attempts while he also hauled in nine rebounds and dished out seven assists.
The athletic combo guard finished his Greene County career with 830 points, a shade shy of the cherished 1,000-point mark. His career total places him third all-time in Greene County high school history behind Trey Hinote (1,339 points) and Trey Tucker (1,811). Morton also knocked down 108 career three-pointers thanks to a career-best 48 threes this winter.
His 327 career rebounds are fourth all-time in Greene County history while his 168 career assists place him fourth as well. Morton’s 57 steals this year are just one behind Trey Tucker’s single-season record of 58 during the 2016-17 season. Tucker also swiped 57 steals during the 2014-15 season, which ties him for second along with Morton. Morton did set a school record by drilling 26 consecutive free throws at one point during this past winter. He tied the single-season free throws made record a year ago, draining 85 of his attempts. It’s a record he shares with Reed Ostrander (12-13) and Tucker (13-14).
The Rams finished the year 5-17 overall and just 3-11 in conference play, ahead of only winless Saydel in the league standings.
Both Stalder and fellow senior Cael Fisher earned honorable mention distinctions.
North Polk’s Jevin Sullivan led the league in scoring at 19.7 points per game while Nevada’s Tyler Sanegaard was the top three-point shooter, drilling 62 long balls in addition to his league-leading 89 free throws made. Gilbert’s Tony Terrones was tops in assists with 110 while Gilbert teammate Matt Ockey was No. 1 in steals with 67.
Gilbert took home the HOIC crown with a 10-2 record, ending South Hamilton’s three year reign.