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Lehigh head men’s basketball coach Brett Reed announced on Monday the addition of Harry Morra as assistant coach. A former video coordinator during the Mountain Hawks’ historic 2011-12 season, Morra has spent the last three years as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at nearby DeSales University. Morra replaces Ryan Krueger, who accepted a position as assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Drive, the D-League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons.
“We are very pleased to welcome Harry back to our coaching staff,” said Reed. “In his role as video coordinator, he excelled. He brought fresh ideas, was innovative, took initiative on projects and really bolstered the operations for our program along with the energy and attitude of our entire staff.”
“The opportunity to work at Lehigh University and with the basketball program as an assistant coach has been a goal of mine since our championship season in 2012,” said Morra. “Coach Reed, Coach Wyche and Krueger have been mentors for the past three seasons at DeSales. Now, I am excited to help them continue building something special that Lehigh University can be proud of.”
All within the last 10 years, DeSales has established itself as one of the top 20 winningest programs in NCAA Division III, playing in the Elite Eight, Sweet 16 twice and Round of 32 three times. In Morra’s time at DeSales, the Bulldogs went 102-39. He helped lead DeSales to two Regular Season Championships, two Freedom Tournament Championships, along with three NCAA Tournament wins. Morra helped develop three 1,000 point scorers, two All-Americans, two Freedom MVPs and a National Rookie Team member.
As assistant coach, Morra designed and executed recruiting strategies for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Maryland. He planned and executed an annual Prospect Camp for 50 participants and Team Camp with 30 teams from all over the Mid-Atlantic region. He also prepared and presented scouting reports for 2014 Freedom Conference Coach of the Year Scott Coval.
During graduate school at Lehigh, Morra took a year off from DeSales and was Lehigh’s video coordinator during a memorable 2011-12 season, which featured a Patriot League Championship and historic NCAA Tournament win over Duke. Morra was responsible for film exchange, advanced scouting and game/practice video breakdown.
“Going through the evaluation process of candidates, Harry’s energy, positive attitude, his experiences (on the floor and in a recruiting role), plus his familiarity with our program from having worked here, provided an indication that he was the best candidate for the position,” said Reed.
Morra has worked camps at Duke, Villanova and Lehigh. After college, he was both a player and then assistant coach for Belfast Star of the Sea, which competes in the 12-team Irish Superleague. He also has experience as Operations Manager for PeacePlayers International in Northern Ireland and South Africa, an ESPY Award winning basketball non-profit organization based out of Washington, D.C.
“Lehigh Basketball has had a tremendous decade of success, reaching its pinnacle in 2012 with a Patriot League Championship and an NCAA Tournament win over Duke,” said Morra. “That season was vital to my development as a coach. That season, we worked extremely hard and had a special group of players that bought into Coach Reed’s vision. Watching C.J. McCollum emerge as one of the best players in the country was an amazing opportunity. His confidence, focus and determination was a rare experience that not every coach gets to have.”
As a player, Morra was a four-year member and two-year captain at DeSales, shooting 48 percent from three-point range in 2004 as a senior captain of the 24-5 MAC Champions.
http://www.lehighsports.com/news/2015/10/19/MBB_1019150349.aspx
Photo Courtesy Lehigh Athletics
