by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
A double milestone occurred at the Northwoods HS (Orr, MN) at Ely HS boys’ basketball game on December 13, 2019. Senior center Trevor Morrison reached his 1000th career point and Coach Will Kleppe earned his 300th career win.
Trevor Morrison is the 6-3, senior center for the recent three-time runner-up Minnesota Class A State Basketball Tournament North Woods HS Grizzlies. He is averaging 26 ppg, 13 rpg and 3 apg. After starting the season state-ranked and undefeated in five games the team is now 6-2 about a fourth of the way into the 2019-20 season.
North Woods HS in Orr, MN closely borders the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe sister community of Nett Lake and the other community is Tower toward the east.
Trevor Morrison is a member of the Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, Nett Lake, MN. Dad is Travis Morrison and is also Bois Forte Band enrolled. Mom is Teri Morrison. The family lives at Nett Lake.
Travis Morrison addressed stories of his son and basketball: “Trevor started playing basketball in kindergarten. I thought he was too small and young to start. His coach Brandon Benner said he had the mindset and the physical ability to play. And that’s where it all started with the Nett Lake Eagles.
“Trevor always listens to his coaches. In first grade we were playing in Red Lake against a very good sixth grade team. I can’t remember the boy’s last name that played with Red Lake, but his first name was Sonny. We could not stop him, he was dribbling through our defense, shooting over our kids, driving to the hoop. Coach Benner was frustrated, he was trying everything but couldn’t stop him. Finally, he looked at me sitting at the end of the bench by little Trev and said, ‘somebody do something, hack him or anything!’. Then Coach Benner finally put little Trev in the game just to give the other boys a rest. Trev went in and started running and playing defense. We always played sagging man to man help defense. Trev was guarding his guy and Sonny got the ball and drove past our defender. Trev sagged in and BAM, hacked Sonny hard on his forearm! Sonny said Hoooooooa! A foul was called and Sonny made two free throws. Trev came out of the game shortly after. He came over to Coach Benner and said, ‘hey Ben, did you see me hack Sonny?’. We laughed and joked about it. When the game was done and we all shook hands, Sonny comes over and says, ‘who is this little guy? He didn’t even go for the ball, just went straight for the hack on my arm!’. Trev only did what the coach said. The coach didn’t really mean go in there and hack him, but that’s what Trev heard so that’s what he did.”
“We played in the Chisholm fifth grade tournament and Trev was in first grade and Cade Goggleye was in second grade. Trevor and Cade both had mohawks for haircuts. The fifth graders battled to the championship, Trev and Cade got some playing time here and there. Four minutes left in the game and Coach Benner calls on Trev and Cade to go into the game to give our older boys a rest. A very close game and our big boys were running out of gas. Coach Benner told Trev and Cade ‘we don’t need you to score, we need you to play tough defense!’. Trev and Cade went in for two minutes and hustled hard and played defense. The other team didn’t score for two minutes! Our big boys went back into the game and finished with a win, and we were champions. After the win, the old Coach Bob McDonald of Chisholm HS came down and congratulated the boys on their win. He then said he thought the game was done when these two little Mohawk boys come in. He figured we gave up and let the little boys play. But nope, these two little Mohawk boys did their job, gave the big men a rest. And now they won the tournament! Coach Bob McDonald said he’s going to keep an eye on these two players!”
“Trevor’s progression as a ball player started with the Nett Lake Eagles,” said Travis. “We traveled all over northern Minnesota and down to the cities looking for games. We found the MYAS a great place to push our boys to play against bigger and better teams. Pacesetter tournaments were another place that really helped push the boys to a higher level. With fundamentals pushed at every practice and playing against high level opponents, Trevor excelled in basketball. Many years of pushing himself to the next level had pushed me to look for higher competition for him. I found it in AAU. Cade Goggleye introduced Trevor to Minnesota Comet basketball. Trev tried out and got on a team for the Comets, and he played there for a year and then we found a team closer to where we live. Trev then played for the Wisconsin Playmakers for a couple years. For the Playmakers Trevor played in two different circuits, a local circuit which was mainly in Minnesota and Wisconsin and a basketball circuit called New York 2 Los Angeles (NY2LA), which is an elite circuit in the Midwest. He didn’t have to travel too far, but he played against a lot of high-level competition. His team didn’t win a whole lot of games but as a player he thrived and got better and better in this circuit.”
Teri Morrison talked about her son’s leadership: “Trevor has always been a leader. When he was in kindergarten his teacher would leave him in charge of the class when she had to leave the room. He has always been a hard worker, always looking at how to improve himself on and off the court. We’ve never had to push him, he pushes himself. At basketball and on his schoolwork. He has an expectation level for himself in everything he does.”
Trevor’s core tribal values define how he plays and leads on and off the court this winter. His list includes:
“Leadership – I feel as if I’m a natural leader and I take charge of situations on the team.
Family – I treat my teammates as a second family because that’s what we are. We work hard and communicate to achieve a common goal. We care about one another and help each other out on and off the court.
Respect – I respect everybody, whether it is the opposing team and coaches or the referee’s devoting their time.
Hard work – I consider myself a gym rat. I’m always in the gym, even on the ‘off-days’. If you want to be the best you’ve got to work hard every day.”
“Brandon Benner was my elementary coach and taught me the fundamentals of basketball that I now build upon with complex skills and moves,” said Trevor. “He would bring us to the cities for tournaments throughout the year from Kindergarten until ninth grade. He even brought us to the state tourneys to watch and he would tell us that this is our goal and we should arrive towards it.”
“Trevor has been playing basketball for many years,” said Coach Brandon. “Ever since he was in Kindergarten with the Nett Lake Eagles he has been a competitor. He has been a joy to coach. He thrives on winning and playing well. The signs of a true champion. He holds his teammates and coaches to those standards as well to never give up or give in until the horn sounds at the end the game. He always believes he will win. It is this tenacity and fire that will lead the Northwoods Grizzlies to their fourth straight State Basketball Tournament!
“Jaylen Strong is my older cousin who I looked up to and continue to look up to as a role model,” said Trevor. “He exemplified what it meant to be a leader and a good overall person to me.”
“Trevor first started playing basketball with us when he was only in second grade while the rest of us were fifth/sixth graders,” recalled Jaylen. “As you can probably guess, Trevor wasn’t skilled enough, but he always tried his hardest, did what he was told, and played because he loved the people and the game. That’s the way he still plays today, for the love of the game. He makes sure that no one is slacking in the game with individual ways of communication amongst his teammates.”
“After the first time they went to the state, they lost out and some people were sad for the senior’s that we’re leaving. Trevor made sure that the returning players knew that there were bigger and better things to come along as they were able to work hard in the offseason. That’s something that most people don’t take into consideration when talking about him. He doesn’t ever talk about the hours he spends in the gym for a couple of hours before working an eight- to ten-hour shift,” added Jaylen.
“There is an impact that he has on the community,” said Jaylen. “Everyone goes to watch him play, from kids to elders, natives to non-natives. They don’t just watch what he does on the court but talk about what he’s like off the court. It’s not uncommon to overhear kids talking about how they want to be like him, as he acknowledges them as friends and knows what kids mean to the future. Elders talk about how they see him at community events helping out where he can, and that he embodies what they think a young man should be like. I think he knows that this is happening, he is setting an example for the children of the community on how to act by emulating people he looked up to when he was a little kid.
“Jordan Schneiderman was my AAU coach,” said Trevor. “He worked my team and I to be the best we can be during the AAU season and in our own high school seasons. He supports us all by coming to our high school games.”
“Consistency is one word that comes to mind with Trevor,” said Jordan Schneiderman. “Consistency in his leadership, consistency in his ability to take over a game, the consistency in his willingness and eagerness to get better and his consistency in being the best teammate on the floor is what separated him.”
“I was lucky enough to coach Trevor for two AAU seasons between April-July of 2018 and 2019. My first year with Trevor we had a top 20-ranked team throughout the spring and summer. T-Mo was a huge part of that success. My second year with him we struggled more with some roster changes and a tougher schedule but still maintained a top 30-team in the state. His relentless efforts when it comes to rebounding and his toughness allowed us to compete against some of the best teams in the Midwest,” added Jordan.
“Trev probably doesn’t remember this but one tournament over this past summer, we were playing a team out of Illinois,” recalled Jordan. “We were down 12 at one point and T-Mo scored eight straight points for us and then took a charge to help us get back into the game.”
Jordan explained Trevor’s individual efforts: “I never had to worry about his effort or energy. Over the two summers I coached him, we probably played 70-80 games. Of all those games, I would bet that Trevor played 70% of them, if not more, of the total minutes. That’s because I knew I could count on him, I knew he would be on the floor diving for loose balls, and I knew he would step in and take a charge, I knew he would produce for us offensively. While Trevor isn’t the most vocal leader, his demeanor, his consistent level of play and his positive energy is how he shows his leadership.”
John Jirik, North Woods HS Athletic Director and head varsity football coach said: “Trevor defines the Minnesota State High School League student-athlete. He is an A student, a top athlete and a role model for our youth. Trevor is humble and thankful for everything positive that comes his way. Trevor lets his accomplishments do the talking and is uncomfortable around braggarts. Trevor gets along with everyone due to his relaxed, non-judgmental personality. Trevor is looking forward to studying engineering beyond high school. Kids like Trevor do not come around often and he will be sorely missed when he graduates from North Woods HS.”
“Trevor Morrison is a leader on the court and in the classroom,” said Coach Will Kleppe. “He exemplifies what it means to be a ‘student-athlete’. He is at the top of his class academically, has exemplary attendance and is a captain of the basketball team. Trevor takes the time to help our younger student athletes by demonstrating self-discipline, organization and hard work. Trevor is the first to volunteer to give back to our younger players. Every Saturday that we host elementary basketball Trevor is the first to player to volunteer to help our fourth-sixth graders.”
“Trevor is a competitor and has been recognized for his academic (National Honor Society) and athletic achievements (two-time basketball All-State Tournament Team.) As his coach I appreciate his humbleness and wisdom he has developed amidst the success he has enjoyed as a basketball player. His gratitude towards his teammates and coaches was truly indicative of the kind of player he is. He has matured tremendous and his leadership has benefitted,” added Coach Will.
As Trevor played junior high basketball, he was a very emotional player,” said North Woods HS assistant coach Jer Chiabotti. “He became frustrated. Coach Kleppe and I would watch him and wonder if he would or could overcome this. Wow, did he ever accomplish that. We knew Trevor had the ability at that age. It was just to control the emotional aspect of his game. Very proud of him.”
“As a student athlete I feel I have balanced being a high-level athlete with high level academics,” said Trevor. “I was on the Wells Fargo State Tournament Team in 2017 and 2018. I’ve been in the National Honors Society since 10th grade. This year during football I was named to the Academic All-State team for Class A. My basketball team has been Minnesota Class A State Tournament Runner-up in 2017, 2018, and 2019.”
“The advice I’d give to other student-athletes is to focus on the classroom,” said Trevor. “Your habits in the classroom will carry over onto the court or field. Always stay hungry because I can almost guarantee it you will get better and someone else is working harder than you.”
Photo Credit: Connie Stone
