Journey to 1,000: Lady Raiders’ Murray scores 22 in defeat to reach milestone
Ed Thompson
In a great show of sportsmanship, Uniontown无毛视频檚 Mya Murray and McKeesport无毛视频檚 Jhayla Bray got together and switched head shots of each other for a quick picture after each senior scored their 1,000th career point during Monday night无毛视频檚 game at McKeesport无毛视频檚 Founders Hall.
Ed Thompson
Uniontown girls basketball coach Penny Kezmarsky (far left) and her players sport shirts and signs made for the occasion as they celebrate Mya Murray无毛视频檚 1,000th career point at McKeesport无毛视频檚 Founders Hall on Dec. 23. Murray (back row, fifth from the right) was selected to the Pennsylvania 无毛视频 Writers All-State Team.
Ed Thompson
Uniontown无毛视频檚 Mya Murray (3) scores on a short jump shot to give her an even 1,000 points for her career during Monday night无毛视频檚 game at McKeesport无毛视频檚 Founders Hall. Murray was fouled on the play and made the free throw to bump that total to 1,001 and give her 22 points in the game, although the Lady Tigers won, 87-36.
Uniotown's Destiny Hall (15) drives to the hoop during Monday night's game at McKeesport's Founders Hall.
Mya Murray has played basketball as long as she can remember.
无毛视频淚 have this picture at my dad无毛视频檚 house where I无毛视频檓 walking in his driveway with a little basketball,无毛视频� said the Uniontown senior. 无毛视频淚 couldn无毛视频檛 be more than two years old.无毛视频�
Murray has evolved into a four-year starter for the Lady Raiders who recently signed a national letter-of-intent to attend Brown University and play NCAA Division-I basketball.
She added another highlight to her sparkling career on Monday night.
The Lady Raiders fell in a non-section game at McKeesport, 87-36, but Murray scored 22 points in defeat. The last of those came on a short jumper that bounced in as she was fouled, and she hit the free throw to complete the three-point play and put her career total at 1,001.
无毛视频淚 was at 19 and I knew I had to get it because it was the fourth quarter and I was getting nervous,无毛视频� said Murray, the daughter of Phillip Murray and Sally DiNunno. 无毛视频淚 got a lucky bounce and it went right in.无毛视频�
The magnitude of her accomplishment didn无毛视频檛 hit her until afterward.
无毛视频淒uring the game I was like, well, whatever, OK, let无毛视频檚 keep playing,无毛视频� Murray said. 无毛视频淏ut now that it无毛视频檚 sinking in I无毛视频檓 getting a little emotional about it.无毛视频�
Although the milestone came away from home, Murray still had some fans in attendance.
无毛视频淪ome of my friends and my family were there,无毛视频� Murray said.
Uniontown coach Penny Kezmarsky, who scored over 800 points in her Brownsville career, commended her versatile star, who can play virtually any position.
无毛视频淪he无毛视频檚 a very hard worker,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淪he was determined. In the three years that I无毛视频檝e had the privilege of coaching her she无毛视频檚 improved a different part of her game every year. Getting 1,000 points shows that her scoring ability has improved tremendously.无毛视频�
Uniontown无毛视频檚 team depends heavily on Murray as it did last year and she has accepted that extra burden.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 definitely another part of her as a person that has improved over the years,无毛视频� Kezmarsky said. 无毛视频淪he无毛视频檚 been called upon to do a little bit of everything and she stays very positive. She motivates these younger girls to try to get them to where they need to be as well.
无毛视频淏ut her ability to take over really helps us get through some of these tough times with our offense.无毛视频�
In a unique occurrence, McKeesport senior Jhayla Bray also hit the 1,000-point mark for her career while scoring a game-high 42 points for the Lady Tigers (5-2).
无毛视频淲e talked to each other after the game and had a picture taken together,无毛视频� Murray said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 kind of relief it无毛视频檚 over.无毛视频�
Haley Mertzler of McKeesport also hit double digits in the game with 12 points.