By LLOYD COMBS
for the Daily Telegraph
GRUNDY, Va. — Morgan Hall says playing basketball isn’t work, which means she has obviously played a lot of basketball over the past year or two.
The Grundy junior is a key reason the Lady Wave finished 18-4 against a beefed-up regular season schedule this year and won a second straight Black Diamond District title.
Last week was a typical one for the versatile Hall, who scored 68 points and grabbed 52 rebounds to lead Grundy to three wins in four games and earn Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the week honors.
The lone Wave loss was a one-point setback at Kentucky Class AAA foe East Ridge.
Hall, says Grundy coach Craig Plymal, has done all sorts of extra work since last season in an effort to help her and her teammates win another BDD crown, and to advance deeper into the post-season after a first round loss in Region D play a year ago.
“Morgan is all about the team,” Plymal said. “She gave up volleyball and she gave up her entire summer to do extra work in the off-season.
“She thought like we did that we could make a pretty good run this season and she wanted to see the seniors like Loni (Webb) and Savannah (Charles) get to 1,000 points.”
To Hall, meanwhile, “work”, extra or otherwise, is a relative term.
“Playing basketball isn’t work,” insists Hall, who adds she did lift weights and run do a lot of running with her teammates before the season and it brought them even closer together. “The extra work I have put in was because I wanted to improve.”
Hall, who scored 29 points in a season-opening win over one perennial Group A power, Patrick Henry, and 29 more in Saturday’s victory over another strong foe in Virginia High, has averaged 17 points, 10.4 rebounds and two steals.
The third-year starter has played every position on the floor for the Grundy Lady Wave and she’s done everything her team has asked her to do.
“She can play in the post or drive to the basket,” Plymal added. “She can play every position on the floor. She runs our press break. We just basically turn her loose on the floor.”
Hall looks out for her teammates in every situation.
“I have some amazing teammates,” Hall adds. “They make me work harder. I couldn’t do it without them.”
Hall and the Lady Wave take on Twin Valley in a BDD semifinal contest tonight at 7:45 p.m. in the old Clinchco Elementary School gym. Grundy will host a first round Region D, Division 2 tournament game on Tuesday.