It was probably inevitable that Dennan Morrow was going to coach basketball. His father was a high school coach for 30 years and he grew up in gymnasiums.

So with his basketball playing days behind, Morrow began that pursuit at Kansas State University as a graduate assistant.

Now he returns home – so to speak – for his first job on the sidelines. Morrow will be taking over as the assistant coach for the Barton Community College men’s basketball team.

Morrow played for Barton coach Craig Fletchall to start his college career and now starts his coaching career with Fletchall as well.

“It is exciting to have Dennan back at Barton,” coach Fletchall said. “Not only is he a former player but he is a great young mind in the coaching field. He spent time with both Frank Martin and Bruce Weber at Kansas State.

“We have been fortunate to have some quality assistants here and I think Dennan will be the next in line.”

Morrow graduated from Larned High School before spending two years at Barton as a player. He shares the school record for 3-pointers made in a game with a 9-for-15 effort on sophomore night in 2010.

“It is going to be nice to get back to Barton,” Morrow said. “I really enjoyed my time there playing under coach Fletchall and coach Watson (former assistant Jordan). I have kept in touch with those two and they have helped me when I decided to go into the coaching world.”

Morrow made that decision after one year at Southwestern College playing for the Moundbuilders.

“I was kind of banged up after that first season at Southwestern and decided it was time to focus on becoming a coach,” Morrow said. “I knew someone at Kansas State and went there to focus on that.”

Morrow spent his first season as a manager under Frank Martin then was the only manager left when Bruce Weber took over as coach.

“I got in good with coach Weber right away being the only manager left,” Morrow said. “We talked about things and he had me stay on as a graduate assistant for a couple of years to get me started in the coaching world.”

When Morrow takes over the first of August he knows things will be different from where he was at Kansas State. But being around Barton for those two years he knows what to expect and is ready for the challenge.

“We have about 10 guys here at Kansas State on the staff,” Morrow said. “At Barton it will be just be Coach Fletchall and myself. I am looking forward to that. In being involved in all the aspects on and off the court.

“Recruiting is something I am not able to do as a graduate assistant and I am looking forward to learning that aspect as well. Dealing with the everyday aspects of players’ lives and recruiting are the two things that will be different and I can’t wait to get started.”