Basketball Standout From Cumming Killed In Car Crash

DAHLONEGA, GA — A University of North Georgia student and basketball player from Cumming was killed in a north Georgia car crash early this week.

Ross Morkem, 19, was a 2016 graduate of Lambert High School in Cumming. According to the university, he was killed in an automobile accident along Ga. 400 in Dawson County early Monday morning.

"Our Nighthawk family suffered a tremendous loss on Monday," University of North Georgia men's basketball coach Chris Faulkner said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Morkem family, friends and his teammates.

"He represented North Georgia in a first-class manner and was an excellent teammate during his time at UNG. Everyone that came in contact with Ross loved him."

As a freshman, the 6-foot-7 Morkem started in 27 of 29 games for the Nighthawks, averaging 8.1 points per game. Off the court, he was named a 2016-17 Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll Presidential Scholar.

The Morkem family has requested that in lieu of flowers, that online donations be made to the Ross Morkem Scholarship Fund. A public memorial reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Three Chimneys Farm clubhouse in Cumming.

Photo courtesy University of North Georgia

Like the Cumming Patch on Facebook to get more stories like this in your News Feed.