Pride's Murray heads west; HC in search of new head of hoops
Jun. 7—HENDERSON — Henderson Collegiate basketball has turned into a powerhouse at the 1A level over the years, amassing a state championship, five consecutive conference titles, and producing a plethora of college athletes.
George Marshall and Paul Murray were major pillars of that success during their time at the helm.
Now, it will be up to another head coach to continue the established culture and winning ways in Henderson, as Murray announced on Tuesday that he will be leaving the program. The first-year head coach accepted a position with high school national powerhouse Prolific Prep as the coach of their postgraduate program, Golden State Prep.
Murray departs Henderson Collegiate after one season at the helm, leading the Pride to their fifth straight conference title after a 10-1 record in Triangle North Athletic Conference play. Overall, the Murray-led roster finished the campaign at 16-11 overall, including clinching the No. 5 seed in the East Region of the NCHSAA Playoffs.
Senior guard Ellis Williams earned TNAC Player of the Year honors under Murray, while three other players earned either all-conference honors or honorable mention.
Henderson Collegiate has amassed a 94-40 record over the last five seasons and cemented themselves as one of the premiere programs in the state.
In 2023-2024, the Pride will return three of their top five scorers, including standout point guard Dillion Baskerville, who averaged 13 points, 5.2 rebounds, and a team-high 3.1 steals per game.
Leading rebounder Adrian Mayes, who pulled down nine boards per game and added in 9.4 points, will be back for his senior campaign. Guard Josh Branche, the team's leading assist man with four per contest, rounds out the senior trio returning for Henderson Collegiate.
Murray also served as the Assistant Athletic Director for the Pride, signaling another position of need for the school, as they search for just their third head basketball coach since 2016.
