He shined during playoffs. MC’s Murphy is Bee’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year
In the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title game on Feb. 23 against Sheldon, Modesto Christian senior Aaron Murphy felt a little nag in his right wrist after he fell on his way down the court after assisting on a Crusader basket.
The wrist hurt the rest of the game and throughout the CIF State Open Division playoffs and the 6-foot-7 forward had issues flicking it when he would shoot.
Murphy battled through the injury and played every game in the state playoffs before going to the doctor on March 13.
“It was fractured,” Murphy said. “Last Wednesday, they (doctors) told me it was fractured and it had been fractured for a while.”
Murphy, who was wearing a hard cast on his wrist Wednesday during an interview, had at least 11 points and eight rebounds in the five games he played with the fractured wrist.
Impressive.
In fact, he averaged 15.6 points and 10.5 rebounds during the playoffs.
“I just wanted to make it through as far as I could with my brothers,” Murphy said. “I gave everything I could every game and wanted to leave on a good note.”
For his performance throughout the year, especially during the playoffs, Murphy is the Bee’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Murphy helped lead the Crusaders to the NorCal Regional Final where they fell to Sheldon. Murphy had 11 points and 13 rebounds
However, Murphy and MC knocked off previously undefeated Salesian in the semifinals. He had 18 points and eight rebounds and was the most energetic Crusader after the win.
“That was my best game I have ever played even with the wrist injury,” Murphy said. “We didn’t want to go home.”
He wants to be remembered as “one of the most energetic kids” to play at MC and “No. 3 on the court and No. 1 in their favorite person’s heart.”
His basketball career isn’t over as Murphy has signed to play with UC Davis.
“My recruiting process wasn’t the prettiest at all,” he said. “I had colleges coming and leaving left and right and never had one that really stuck except Davis, who never really left. They were there through my bad games and my good games and that’s what family felt like.”
Murphy said he felt at home when he visited the campus and will major in kinesiology.
He was the final piece in his family’s puzzle as all three kids in the Murphy family will have played college sports.
His older brother, Gabe, is a freshman forward at Northwest Nazarene while his older sister, Grace, played volleyball for two years at Stanislaus State before medically retiring due to shin splints.
“Three for three for my family and it felt great,” he said. “They got what they wanted and all their kids went to college for free.”
Murphy said people say he has energy like Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and is also versatile.
However, he doesn’t want to be like anyone.
“I want to go out there and make my own name,” Murphy said. “I want to standout from everyone else.”
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All-District Team
Michael Pearson, Jr, Modesto Christian
Vincent Olmo, Sr, Ripon
McKay Bundy, Sr, Beyer
Austin Patterson, Jr, Sonora
Justin Traina, Sr, Central Catholic
