LJ BB: "Go your hardest"

Vikings' Morgan Albers (32) drives near

the baseline in 64-54 win over Patrick

Henry in the Grossmont Invitational.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

When you walk up and shake hands with Morgan Albers, you realize how big his hands are. More to grab those rebounds with. He stands 6'3".

The quiet, unassuming young man is working his program: A junior who often starts for La Jolla High, he would like to play basketball in college. He has gained "a lot of weight" since his sophomore year, building his upper body strength. He has been lifting weights, which has really made a difference. "I'm better at boxing out (for rebounds), and stuff," Albers observes.

He had a recent encounter with 6'10" Brandon McCoy of Morse, as did his fellow Vikings, in the Grossmont Invitational. "He used his elbow and I got hit in the chin," relates Albers. "He didn't even get called for a foul." It still hurts five days later. "I'm going to go to the chiropractor Monday (Dec. 29) if it still hurts," the forward says. "My jaw is sore. It's a tightness. It's weird."

Such are the verities of life under the boards in varsity basketball. Morgan had to sit out basketball much of the summer a year ago, after breaking his pinkie in practice, requiring surgery. That was frustrating, as he was vying for significant minutes of playing time in Coach Paul Baranowski's program.

Morgan's older brother has played a significant role in his younger brother's development. Three years older than Morgan, Garret used to play basketball and the two would compete. "He's bigger and stronger. Playing him helped me out playing tougher," says Albers. It has aided him in facing opponents like McCoy.

Garret is part of a University City-La Jolla dynamic in Morgan's life. The Albers family lived in Clairemont when the older brother attended UC High, one of the Vikings' rivals. Morgan was on track to attend UC as well, when he attended Standley Middle School. The second week of his seventh grade, he transferred to Muirlands Middle School, leading to his attending La Jolla High. So he knows some of the players on the UC basketball team, including Justin Holder, a starter a year ahead of Morgan.

A tight-knit family, the Albers clan just returned from spending Christmas in Northridge at the home of Morgan's maternal grandparents. They played miniature golf one day during the vacation. At other times, Morgan had bonding opportunities with his grandfather watching basketball on television together.

The family moved from Clairemont to La Jolla, where Morgan's father grew up, after his paternal grandfather passed away and his dad's childhood home was remodeled before they moved in. Morgan's father has set up a nice basketball court in the backyard, where the 17-year-old can shoot and get a sweat going, with dad rebounding, then shower to get more alert, his preferred routine to prepare for games.

Eddie Parker, Alex Pitrofsky, and Albers, all juniors, eat lunch together at school and "hang out". They've all contributed to the team already in the first month of the basketball season. Parker, a newcomer to the varsity, has gained significant minutes during preleague and tournament games recently. He has some smooth moves to the basket, and has good basketball sense.

Pitrofsky, 6'6", looks to contribute more inside under the boards when Western League play starts in January. Albers plays wing and sets up under the basket at various times. All three have been starters at one time or another as Baranowski goes with different lineups.

As far as academics, Morgan is taking AP Environmental Science, which he says is a difficult course. He might take marine science next year, since things about the ocean interest him.

A philosophy he tries to put into action is "Go your hardest, work your hardest all the time." At practice, he tries to run hard as part of that effort.

In the food department, "Thanksgiving food" is tasty, and steak and mashed potatoes are a favorite meal. Cookies and cream gets the nod in the ice cream freezer, oreo also a front runner. "Sometimes my mom gets (ice cream) drumsticks," he reveals.

Albers, gaining "street cred" for sustaining injuries, also broke his right middle finger when he was younger. "I shoot with my left hand a lot. I don't know if you noticed," he says. "So I shot with my left hand a lot more," and he has continued that as part of his game, as a result.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper