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02/03/2016 11:00 PMThe 2015-’16 season got out to a rocky start for the Morgan boys’ basketball squad, although the Huskies have pulled themselves right back into the thick of the Shoreline Conference mix and one of the biggest reasons is the play of Mike Murray.
Mike began his athletic life with youth soccer and baseball, but then his father got him going on the basketball court, and Mike’s been passionate about the sport ever since. Now a senior captain point guard for Morgan, Mike and company opened the campaign at 0-3 before bouncing back to take six of their next nine with Mike averaging 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on the year.
“A lot of me being able to be successful is that we have a lot of strong rebounders that are also good at boxing out. Getting set leaves it open for someone to go get the rebound and score,” says Mike. “I’ve never been a great shooter, so a lot of my scoring comes from passing and cutting to the hoop, which leads to some layups. You have to know when to take certain shots and be there for the right shot at the right time.”
Mike’s preferred method of netting baskets fits right in with Morgan’s up-tempo style. The same can be said for his attack on the glass as Mike is anything but passive when anticipating a miss from the opposition.
“We are a fast-paced team, so I love getting the ball out on a fast break. I am also a righty, so anything open on the right side, I like to take,” Mike says. “I watch a shot go and, once it goes, it’s easier to tell where it will be. It’s easier to tell where it’ll be and get there rather than wait for it to get there.”
Mike is in his second stint as one of the Huskies’ captains and Head Coach Ken Beeman notes that he’s definitely taken the reins more aggressively this time around.
“Mike is a two-year captain and leader and he really shows maturity well beyond his years. He has a very positive approach to life and basketball and never feels as though he cannot win or perform well in any situation. Mike also leads by example every day in practice, rarely letting down or not going full speed,” says Beeman. “We ask Mike to do a lot for us. He is by no means a prototypical point guard, but he handles the ball well for us. He is also not what you would call a post player, but we ask that he plays bigger than he is offensively and, especially, defensively against much larger opponents. He thrives on those assignments and does an admirable job.”
As is often the case with underclass captains, Mike felt a little uncomfortable directing his senior teammates when he was a junior. However, now that he’s a year wiser and more experienced, Mike feels much more at home in the leadership position.
“Last year I think I was more hesitant as a junior captain because it felt weird talking to some of the older guys on the team,” says Mike. “Everyone gets along this year easier, plus I’ve developed more of a comfort level in the second year as captain, which makes things easier.”
Morgan has made winning look seemingly easy by posting several blowouts during its recent hot streak. Still, the Huskies know they have to maintain this pace if they plan to keep rising up the ranks of an extremely competitive Shoreline Conference.
“We came into this year with high expectations, but we didn’t play as good as we wanted to in the beginning of the season. I think it was more all of us as individuals trying to do everything at once, rather than as a team,” says Mike, who thanks his parents Marypat and Tom, along with his teammates and coaches. “The Shoreline has opened up this year. It doesn’t matter which spot you get, No. 1 [to] 8. We want to make the [Shoreline] tournament no matter what and win it.”