Senior guard Cameron Morel shot the lights out Wednesday night for Aurora Christian.

That’s nothing new for Morel, who has been a deadeye long-distance shooter for the Eagles ever since he started playing varsity basketball as a sophomore.

And that’s not all.

“He will go down as the most prolific 3-point shooter we’ve had,” Aurora Christian coach Dan Beebe said. “He’s going to break the all-time 3-pointers made record in our school history, which is saying a lot at Aurora Christian.”

The 6-foot-4 Morel had a lot to say again from 3-point range, sinking 6 of 8 shots en route to scoring a game-high 22 points as the host Eagles routed IMSA 82-30 in the Burney Wilkie Classic.

However, Morel’s first basket came not from downtown but on a drive down the lane, giving Aurora Christian (5-0) an early 5-1 lead.

That was one of many noteworthy — and perhaps overlooked — aspects of his performance.

“Cam can obviously shoot it,” Beebe said. “Where he has developed, though, is he used to be a catch-and-shoot guy. Now, he’s able to put the basketball on the floor and get to the rim a little bit.

“He developed that on his own in the offseason, knowing it’s important he does that.”

The increased versatility will enhance Morel’s chances for playing time at the next level. He has NCAA Division III offers from North Central College, Carthage, Dominican, Wisconsin-Platteville and Edgewood.

But it’s also helping the Eagles run a new offense.

“I’d say my strength is definitely 3-point shooting,” Morel said. “That’s what I do. But over the summer, I’ve developed an ability to take it into the lane, find the open man and just work within the offense — try not to do too much.”

Beebe has switched from a pass-and-screen offense to a dribble-drive attack. It suits sophomore guards Marshawn Cocroft and Jalen Carter, who can use their quickness to penetrate and kick out to the perimeter.

That’s where Morel is usually waiting.

“I know to hit him in his hot spots because I know he’ll knock down the three when he’s wide open or when someone’s in his face,” Carter said. “Whenever he’s hot, we even have certain plays to get him a shot.”

Cocroft scored 20 points to go with four steals Wednesday, while Carter added eight points and four assists, all coming on Morel baskets. They both sank two 3-pointers as the Eagles finished 13 of 26 from beyond the arc.

“That’s what we focus on in practice — trying to find the open man — and this offense really helps us out,” Morel said. “Credit to coach Dan.

“It’s a brand-new offense for us, so it’s our first year running it, and I feel like we’re doing it pretty well.”

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Indeed, the Eagles are averaging 66 points and have won five games by an average margin of 36.2 points.

IMSA (0-2), meanwhile, trailed 45-20 at halftime, even though senior guard Deondre O’Bannon scored nine of his 10 points before intermission.

The Eagles were never in trouble, starting with Morel scoring eight straight points in the first quarter. He followed with a nice display of athleticism after Carter made a steal, hustling to save Carter’s pass from going out of bounds under IMSA’s basket.

Morel sent a bounce pass to Cocroft, who scored on a drive. Jacob Baumann then made a steal and passed to Carter, who fed Morel for another 3-pointer.

“I like that he’s a good shooter but can get to the basket,” Carter said of Morel, who added five rebounds and two assists. “He also plays good defense, too. He takes charges, finally.

“He has a great mentality as well, so he’s an all-around player.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

Originally Published: Nov 30, 2023 at 2:00 am