Local standout grateful for offer from Gamecocks
SPORTSTALK / June 21, 2022
6-8 Collin Murray-Boyles of Columbia was the state’s 4A Player of the Year last season at AC Flora, received his first major offer Monday, and it came from the school just down the road from his home. USC coach Lamont Paris, who had scouted Murray-Boyles over the weekend, invited him in for a visit and offered him a scholarship.“Very grateful for having the opportunity to play at a level like that,” Murray-Boyles said. “That’s my first high-major school, and it’s from my hometown, so that’s really big to me to be able to represent by city.”
Murray-Boyles has also done some scouting of Paris, and he sees a guy he could easily play for should he end up with the Gamecocks.
“I love how he coaches,” Murray-Boyles said. “He coaches a lot of skill guys, and I think I fit into that area of play. He likes how I’m position-less and how my mind works, how I’m not stuck to a certain position. I can play different roles in an offense. I’m not stuck to a single offense. I can fit into whatever play style I need to.”
Last season Murray-Boyles averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks per game for a team that played for the state championship. His ability to make those around him better, he said, is what coaches like most about his game.
“My decision-making for sure,” he said. “Just me being able to make the right reads at all times, being able to hit the open guy, hit the open shot. I get my teammates where they need to be and being an overall floor general on the court.”
The Gamecocks join Wofford, Appalachian State and Belmont as offers for Murray-Boyles. He also cites interest from Clemson, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, College of Charleston, Upstate, George Mason, Oregon State and UNC-Wilmington. The offer from Paris certainly raised the level of interest Murray-Boyles has in USC at this point.
“It’s pretty high,” Murray-Boyles said. “That shows how much they care about me as a person and a player, and instead of just recruiting the top names, they actually are digging deep into South Carolina to find the hidden gems. That showed me how much they care about me as a player.”
But there was no instant decision from Murray-Boyles as he wants to let the process play out a little longer, with plans to take an official visit to USC later in the summer.
“I’m just taking it slow, just being patient with this process and taking it all in,” Murray-Boyles said. “When the time comes, I’ll know what to do. And I have good people around me to help me with my decision, so I’m not in any rush whatsoever.”
Murray-Boyles will not play his senior season in Columbia. He has decided to transfer to Wassatch Academy in Mount Pleasant, UT for his final high school season.