Being on the outside looking in doesn’t sit well with Dwayne “Tiny” Morton.
The legendary Abraham Lincoln head coach, now an assistant at Seton Hall, was in attendance to watch his former program play against Math Civics & Science of Philadelphia at the Tri-State High School Classic at Gauchos Gym last Sunday. Former stars Isaiah Whitehead, Desi Rodriguez and Treyvon Morton, who are also at Seton Hall, came along with him after their current team beat St. Peter’s earlier in the day.
Watching from the sidelines and not having his hands in what was going on in the Lincoln huddle wasn’t easy for Morton, who coached the Railsplitters for 20 years and won eight city titles. He believes new coach and close friend Kenny Pretlow is doing a good job with the players and has them playing hard. Even so, there is still a part of him that is used to having input with the Railsplitters.
“I kind of want to run over there and say something,” he said.
Morton has also faced an adjustment to being an assistant under Kevin Willard in South Orange. He said he didn’t come in with any expectations, but is enjoying the experience and trying to get the most out if it. He mentioned the long hours and the more in-depth strategy. Morton is learning every day and fulfilling a dream of coaching at the college level, but that doesn’t undo 20 years of being a head coach.
Whitehead didn’t feel the same urge to be in the Lincoln huddle, but he does understand Morton’s desire to be in there.
“It’s different for him because he’s been in the position at Lincoln of just telling everybody what to do,” Whitehead said.
Morton said being an assistant meant less pressure on him, and Seton Hall is off to a solid 8–1 start. Most would enjoy a break from the stress and expectations that come from being in charge of a team, but not Morton.
“It doesn’t feel good,” Morton said. “I’d love to be a head coach, but I understand my position, though. I’ve been very good.”
He isn’t sitting on his hands at Seton Hall. Morton is still active and giving input. Rodriguez, who is playing about 15.7 minutes per contest, said Morton is consistently in his ear, telling him what he sees, and it brings back some memories.
“To me, he is still a head coach,” Rodriguez said. “He coaches me on the bench. He coaches me during time outs. To me, it’s the same as Lincoln. He is still coaching like a head coach.”
Whitehead, a Coney Island native, said it was weird for him to watch Lincoln play and not see Morton on the bench. Instead he is all the way on the other side of the court, sitting in the second row of the bleachers to watch Lincoln roar to a lopsided win.
Morton was a fixture in New York City basketball and not seeing him patrolling the sideline at Lincoln will certainly take some getting used to. Nothing lasts forever.
