Kernersville – Murphy boys basketball was in a position not many thought they’d be in in the first round of the state 1A playoffs at Bishop McGuinness.
In what was expected to be a tough game, the No. 21 seed Bulldogs battled back after a slow start. The game was tied at 52 with about four minutes left. However, like many games this season, Murphy just couldn’t finish, falling to the Villains 64-54.
The Bulldogs finished the season 11-14, while 20-8 Bishop McGuinness’ season ended with a 58-52 loss at South Stokes in the second round on Feb. 24.
“Murphy always travels well and this was no exception,” head coach Erik Laney said. “We enjoyed the long ride, had a great practice session on the road, and arrived ready to play.”
It was a balanced effort for Murphy, with eight players getting on the score sheet. Hunter Laney had a team-high 10 points in his final game as a Bulldog, while four others scored seven or more. The No. 12 seed Villains got most of their points from three players, with Jonathan Campbell scoring a game-high 22, Riggs Handy scoring 21 and Dawson Mcalhany adding 16.
Bishop McGuinness came out firing early, with Handy draining three 3-pointers to help the Villains build a 17-7 lead. The Bulldogs answered back with a 12-0 run, setting the tone for a back-and-forth battle until Bishop McGuinness’ late push in the final minutes.
“This team always competes,” Erik Laney said. “We struggled early to get the ball in the rim, but our defense and physicality allowed us to endure their early run.”
Trailing 30-29 at halftime, Murphy started the second half on an 11-2 run to take a 40-32 lead. The Villains answered back with a 10-0 run of their own, and a shot by the Bulldogs’ Dillian Brown tied the game heading into the final frame.
Hunter Laney tied the game at 52, and Murphy had some chances to take the lead on the following possession but couldn’t. Following that bucket, the Bulldogs came up with a steal and then air-balled a 3-point attempt. Mcalhany missed two free throws on Bishop McGuinness’ next possession, then Murphy came up empty again.
Handy hit a 3 to give the Villains the lead, and Rummler answered back for the Bulldogs and was fouled before missing the free throw. On Bishop McGuinness’ next possession, Will Carringer fouled Handy and was then called for a technical.
Handy would hit three of the four free throws to push the lead to 58-54. A three-point play by Campbell extended the lead to 61-54, effectively putting the nail in the coffin for Murphy’s season.
The Bulldogs graduate three seniors, though only Laney and Payton McCracken were key contributors. McCracken provided good energy off the bench before suffering a lower leg injury against Towns County on Dec. 29, and Laney was the team’s second-leading scorer with 12.2 points per game.
It could be an even better season next year, as Murphy returns most of its rotation. As sophomores, the group won the Smoky Mountain Conference junior varsity championship.
“This team is a special one,” Laney said. “We would always like to see a few more close games go in our favor but I don’t know if I have ever coached a team in 20-plus years that is as tight knit as this group. They have great seniors, and I look forward to seeing what successes these underclassmen have in the future.”