SPECIAL REPORT: The long road traveled – How Imperial hoops star Sierra Morris has found success

Finding her passion for basketball as a child, Morris will be taking her game to the next level, a journey that's been a long one both metaphorically and literally - 13 On Your Side's Luis Lopez reports

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - It’s been quite the ride for Imperial girls basketball star Sierra Morris.

The senior has been a part of a lot of winning with the Tigers, but her journey started with some constant trips out to San Diego.

“I already had my plan set when I hit middle school, I wanted to play college ball,” Morris said.

Sierra Morris has been hitting the hardwood since she was a kid, picking up basketball in the fourth grade.

It was a sport she was introduced to by her grandfather Freddy, who played for both Central High and Imperial Valley College.

“He was a big basketball player, basketball star, and that was how I got into it, I was like, ‘I’m going to try it out,” Morris said.

She would then play for youth leagues in Imperial County, but her talent was noticed early-on.

People began to ask her dad, Merritt to take her talents to a higher level.

“I started getting some notices from parents up there, and some people asked me about her to come join, I think they called it a creme of the county in San Diego,” Merritt said.

Getting to play on travel teams in the San Diego area, Morris began to take her game even further.

Enough to even catch the attention of Imperial High coaches.

“My seventh or eighth grade year, coach Cardona was getting me prepared for the varsity squad, high school, coach Ponch started helping me around, coached us my eighth grade year,” Morris said.

Morris stepped onto the high school scene quickly.

Playing on varsity as a freshman, she averaged 10 points and eight rebounds a game.

However, after the immediate success, her sophomore year would bring challenge.

A bone bruise in her knee would limit her to just 10 games.

But despite the setback, it’s also something that’s inspired her future.

“I plan on majoring in kinesiology, and hopefully becoming a physical therapist, because from personal experiences, I experienced a bad injury, and the support I had really made me want to give back to other players as well," Morris said.

After the injury, Morris would come back strong in her junior year.

She averaged over 15 points per game, while helping lead the Tigers to the CIF state championship game in Sacramento.

Her senior year proved to be another successful one, once again averaging over 15 points and eight boards.

Through it all, Sierra credits her dad as the reason she’s accomplished so much.

“He was the one getting me up to practices on weekdays, coming back to San Diego, and the tournaments on the weekends, so I really appreciate the time that he sacrificed from work to get me to where I’m at now.”

So how hard was it for Merritt to be the one taking Sierra to her games so far away from home?

“You know it was hard but it was fun, my wife she didn’t come with me as much just for the practices because she told me she didn’t see how I was doing it, she was like there’s no way that’s ridiculous,” Merritt said.

The trips have all paid off, as Sierra will be taking her talents to the Bay Area, to play for Cal State East Bay at the division two level.

“It was beautiful, I had a great vibe the minute I met coach Jenny, she’s the head coach at Cal State East Bay, she was just talking to me and then I got on campus, I loved it the minute we drove up," Morris said.

More than anything, Sierra knows it all couldn’t be possible, without support from those around her.

“I really appreciate it, especially from my parents, you know it’s not cheap, travel ball is not cheap at all, especially getting me here,” Morris said.

Sierra also thanked her coaches at Imperial.

Admitting that she would get a bit hot headed at times with the Tigers, but ultimately they guided her in the right direction.