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THE PREPS : Bill Morris Returns to Troy after 6 Years Out of Coaching

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Times Staff Writer

Bill Morris, one of the most successful basketball coaches in Orange County while at Troy High School from 1969 to 1983, is returning as the school’s varsity basketball coach.

Morris, 47, has been named to succeed Ed Graham, who resigned last month to accept a coaching position at Don Lugo High in Chino.

“My two sons have graduated from (Esperanza) high school, so I thought the time was right to come back into coaching,” Morris said. “I missed the game, and when they approached me at the school to come back, I thought it would be a good opportunity to help the kids at Troy High.”

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Morris won more than 200 games at Troy before resigning for personal reasons after the 1982-83 season. He led Troy to five Freeway League titles and nine Southern Section playoff berths and developing such county stars as Pete Miller, Mark Wulfemeyer, Clark Guest and John Barkey.

Morris was also a standout player under Tex Wallis at La Habra and later attended Fullerton College, where he played on a state championship team that compiled a 32-2 record. He earned a scholarship at USC and began coaching at Troy in 1969-70.

Morris won the Freeway League title at Troy in his first season and had only three losing seasons in 14 years. Morris coached Wulfemeyer, one of the most prolific scorers in Southern California history, from 1970-74. Morris was named The Times’ coach of the year in 1977.

Barkey, a fine point guard, led Troy to a 19-5 record in 1980-81, the last winning season for Morris at Troy after the redistricting of students cut the school’s enrollment. Morris resigned for personal reasons in May of 1983 after two consecutive losing seasons.

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