January MVP interview: Terence Morris, Maccabi Elite

May 25, 2012

EUROLEAGUE INTERVIEWS 2007-2008

by: Frankie Sachs, Euroleague.net

February 7, 2008

Rarely can a player become a star without much ego, but Maccabi Elite Tel Aviv big man Terence Morris may be an exception to that rule. Since Zvi Sherf took over the Maccabi bench on the first day of 2008, Morris has gone from a role player to the team's most consistent contributor in minutes, rebounds and blocked shots as Maccabi went 5-0 last month. His increased playing time meant increased offensive output, too, as Morris averaged 13 points and shot 7 for 13 from beyond the arc during the month. For those reasons and more, Morris was named Euroleague Basketball's MVP for the month of January. Now, he and his teammates are looking forward to the chance to bring Maccabi back to the glory it has been accustomed to. And if his ego won't get in the way of being a great team player, Morris does not lack for confidence in the team whose fortunes he helped turn around in January. "Personally I really think we're the top team in Europe," Morris told Euroleague.net. "I think our personnel and talent has it and I don't see why we can't keep it going. I think we're hungry right now. We still feel like we're not getting enough… Other people think we're not good enough to win. We feel like we have something to prove."

Hello, Terence. Congratulations on becoming our January MVP. Lot of things changed for your team this month, and for you. Could you have seen yourself as a possible monthly MVP before January started?

"Actually no. I basically just wanted to be a consistent player for this team, to go out there and play hard for the team and give my all every time I'm out there. "

You guys started the month with a big road win at Efes. Was that something of a turnaround game?

"I think the coaching change for us was the turnaround. After that I think we've been a different, rejuvenated team on our offense and defense. It feels like the team has a different commitment, guys are more into how we're playing. So I think the coaching change made a big difference."

Nineteen rebounds in that win in Istanbul, 15 another night this month. Even for a solid rebounder, those kind of numbers look like they come with some special motivation. Did you have that this month?

"No. I just think the coaching staff believes in me a lot and gives me a lot of playing time to go out there and do stuff like that. Those are nice stats, but I think there are other players out there that if the coaches are willing to give the time to play that they could do that. That's just what the process was for me. I got the chance to play more than in the previous games and I made the most of it."

You went from being a role players in the first eight games to averaging 36 minutes, with a couple 40-minute appearances, in January. When Zvi Sherf became coach, did he tell you that you would have so much responsibility?

"No. He didn't say anything. He just threw me in the hot water. Just go out there play. I think when they recruited me to come here they kind of knew what kind of player I was. At the beginning I just wasn't getting the time because our team is so deep, especially at my position. But coach [Sherf] summed things up and plays with a different core now with certain players in the game for certain times and I'm just one of those guys at the times. I'm happy to get that time and I want to reward the coaches for giving me that time, so I'm just playing the best that I can."

With all that depth and now All-Euroleague center Nikola Vujcic back in the lineup, do you see your role changing?

"I don't think it does. It might lessen some of my time, but I don't think my role will change at all. I don't really care stat wise what happens to me. We're just happy to have Nik back, because he's a really good, unselfish player and we need a guy like that back on our team. I do the same thing no matter who's out there with me. I just try and feed off the other guys and see how they play and see where I can pick my spots. Our other big men are really good inside players and Marcus [Fizer] and Nik are really good passers too, so I just try to feed off those guys. My role doesn't ever really change."

Maccabi not only won its five January games, but also 9 of the last 10, too. Do you feel like you guys can keep your momentum going despite facing a very strong group in the Top 16?

"Yeah. I don't really see any reason why we can't. Personally I really think we're the top team in Europe anyway. Personally I think our personnel and talent has it and I don't see why we can't keep it going. I think we're hungry right now. We still feel like we're not getting enough… Other people think we're not good enough to win. We feel like we have something to prove."

This is your second season in Israel, as you joined Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem at the middle of last year. You averaged 5.3 points and 4 rebounds in 6 ULEB Cup games last season, but now in Maccabi, you are a pivotal player and the Euroleague's January MVP. Can you sum up what that year has been like?

"It just pretty much been all about opportunity for me. Jerusalem was the first team to give me. I only played there half a season, but I had a pretty good half a season while I was there. I signed for Maccabi in the summer and I knew there was gonna be a lot of talented guys coming in and they wanted me. I don't have an ego problem or anything like that so I knew I'd get along with everybody on the team. It's just about how bad do we really want to win. For myself it wasn't really going to change from what I did last year. It's just a different stage now from the ULEB Cup and the Israeli League to the Euroleague. I just had a chance to play now and my confidence is really high and I'm having a lot of fun doing it."

Aside from more playing time, what has given you that extra confidence to bring out your best basketball?

"I'm not really known or people don't really know me too well over here because I haven't played here. This is actually my first full season playing here. It's not about trying to make a name for myself. I just want to be known as a good player who goes out and plays hard every night and gives it his all."

What have you felt about playing in the Euroleague this season?

"It's been pretty tough. We've had our ups and down at the beginning of the season, but I think that after our coaching change we've pulled ourselves together. There's a lot of talented guys out there, a lot of young talented guys out there. It's a really good league."

You are playing for one of the winningest teams in Europe, with hundreds of thousands fans around the world. How does it feel to play for Maccabi Elite and what responsibility does it take?

"The first thing I heard about playing for Maccabi was all this pressure that there is on Maccabi players and all that. Honestly, if you're a basketball player, you've been through every kind of position there is out there, so this is nothing new. We know the city is behind us and they want us to win just like the players want us to win. I don't think there is any pressure. Pressure may affect weak players, but we're strong players and it doesn't affect me at all."

What are your personal and team goals for the rest of the season?

"Just to win the Euroleague. That's it. I don't have any personal goals. This is a team thing and that's what they brought me here for. I just want to continue to play consistent myself personally and to go out there and do what I have to do to help my team win the Euroleague title."