As the final seconds ticked away, Munford High boys basketball coach Kameron Foster danced along the sideline. His team had just distanced Bolivar Central in the closing moments to finish a game much closer than the final score. 

The Cougars moved to 5-1. Their energy, which starts with their animated coach, traveled on the road in an 86-67 victory Friday night. 

In his first season as Munford’s head coach, Foster has brought a new level of camaraderie to his group of players. But he’s had a little bit of celebrity help.

Grizzlies dominated on the boards in rematch loss to Minnesota

Cheering from the stands has been Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who has given his time while serving a 25-game NBA suspension for conduct detrimental to the league.

Morant wasn’t there Friday. But that didn’t matter. The players and coaches say his impact has already been felt. 

“He’s made it a lot easier on me,” Foster said. “I’ve been telling them since the beginning of the year if we fight the way we can fight, we’re going to win. 

“But them seeing Ja Morant, that turned them up to another level. They believe in it. Seeing Ja cheer for them, that really makes them believe in themselves. As you could see at the end of the game, they don’t back down from nothing, and I love it. 

“Ja boosted them to be fighters. He boosted their belief that they can do something great.”

Morant chose Munford because his former college teammate, Jonathan Stark, played at Munford. Stark connected Morant with Foster while they were playing at Murray State. Now they’re friends, too.

Foster’s players get to reap the benefits. They raced to outside the locker room Friday after the win to share what it has been like to have him around the team. 

“He brings the energy,” Munford senior Jay Dancey said of Morant. “It’s fun to have him around. It almost feels surreal to have him behind the bench. When you score a left-hand layup, he’s there shouting, ‘Lefty!’

“It’s definitely been a fun experience for all of us seeing him out there.”

Morant gave speeches before and after games in the locker room. He shared the lessons he has learned throughout his personal journey. He jumped up and down wearing a foam finger.

The Munford players haven’t taken the unique experience for granted. If they are only a small part of Morant’s journey back to NBA ascension, they will be grateful. 

“It would mean a lot,” junior Jayden Lee said. “Me personally, Ja is my favorite player. Seeing him in the stands and having him around as he makes his comeback means a lot to all of us.”

Added junior Eli Patrick: “We need him back on the Grizzlies.”

Make no mistake: The Munford basketball team is full of Grizzlies fans. 

“We’re only 30 minutes from Memphis, so we look up to our Memphis Grizzlies,” senior Jordan Bell said. “We look up to Ja. Having him come out and support has brought a new energy to Munford. People see we have something great going on. They see we have someone great coming to the school to support us.”

“Seeing him in the stands and having him around as he makes his comeback means a lot to all of us.”

Jayden Lee

Several Munford players wear Morant’s signature Ja 1 sneakers. Stark said he views that as a way for the players to support Morant back, like he’s done for them. 

“I got mine right before the season at the start of October,” senior Murray Norman said. “I knew I wanted to wear Ja 1s this season because, obviously, he’s my favorite player and he’s a future hall of famer.”

The entire Munford starting five said they view Morant as a role model. But they see the negativity pushed toward the point guard on social media like everyone else. 

“You can’t define somebody by a mistake,” Norman said. “When the cameras are off, he’s a really fun and a really great guy to be around. ... You can’t be defined by what people say on social media.”

In an age when apps consume us, that appears to be a valuable lesson learned.

“You see what happened to him, but he still comes out here and gives back to the community,” Patrick said. “And some people are still hating on him.”

“And that’s fine,” Dancey interrupted. “You know what they say, ‘If people are hating, you must be doing something right.’”