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Memory Of Morrison Still Strong

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By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 2, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - If everything had gone as planned, former Ridgewood High basketball star Ashley Morrison would have already graduated from college, started her professional life, and maybe already started a family.

Instead, there will be a two-day, four-game basketball tournament played in her honor beginning today.

In December 2000, Morrison died after contracting encephalitis, a viral infection associated with inflammation of the brain.

Her death so moved her teammates, coaches and school officials that a tournament was created to honor her selfless and dedicated style of play.

Though it has been eight years since her death, Morrison's memory still moves current Ridgewood coach Greg Bollinger.

"It's all about Ashley," Bollinger said of the tournament. "It's a way to keep her memory going."

Morrison's parents are heavily involved in the tournament. They will be running the concession stand and T-shirts will be sold with her retired number 33 emblazoned amid the logo.

The tournament begins tonight, with Countryside facing Seffner Christian at 6 p.m. while host Ridgewood plays Naples at 7:30 p.m. The tournament finishes Saturday, with the losing teams from the first two games playing each other at 1 p.m. while the winning teams will square off at 3 p.m.

Ridgewood has struggled with its shooting this season. The Rams are shooting 35 percent from the field, 18 percent from 3-point range and just over 50 percent from the free-throw line.

"When we're able to shoot the ball, we look great," Bollinger said. "When we don't we look ugly."

In the two losses to close out the Keeler tournament, the Rams shot 25 percent from the field.

"It's hard to win when you shoot 25 percent," Bollinger said.
Bollinger expects the Morrison Shootout field to be competitive, if not strong. Seffner Christian is 7-3, though largely against a schedule of smaller schools.

"It will be interesting to see how they do against bigger schools," Bollinger said.

Countryside is having a resurgence of sorts with a 6-6 mark, including a victory against district foe Mitchell, one of the better teams in Pasco County.

Naples (4-6), Bollinger said, is a mystery only because of its location and schedule.

"They play down south, so it's hard to get information on them," Bollinger said. "So Naples is sort of an unknown factor."

Correspondent Lee Diekemper can be reached at pinellascountysports@yahoo.com.

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