TAMPA, Fla. —Sometimes, learning from missed opportunities can lead to greater rewards.
That’s what Wesley Chapel High School basketball star Trey Murray is learning from.
What You Need To Know
- Trey currently leads the state in points per game
- Trey’s love for basketball comes from his dad, who played at the University of Cincinnati
- Head Coach Marvin Gray played for the Jamaican national team
-Advertisement-
- Trey averages just over 29 points per game this year
For Trey, basketball is in his blood.
“That’s my pops right here,” he said, showing a picture of his father on his cell phone.
Trey’s love for basketball comes from his dad who played in college and his head coach with a long list of accomplishments himself.
“I played in high school,” head coach Marvin Gray said. “Played college basketball in Texas, my last 2 years in New York, York College, I graduated from York College and also played for the Jamaican National Team.”
Coach Gray joined the Wildcats 4 years ago after a few stops in other Pasco County schools.
He’ll tell you there’s only a handful of athletes like Trey.
“He’s one of the first guys in the gym,” he said. “Sometimes, Trey beats me to the gym. When I’m coming in, opening up the gym, Trey is already here. Sometimes, he’s the last one to leave the gym. He always calls me, ‘Coach, can I come in the gym and shoot? Can you open up the gym so I can get some shots up?’ So, he’s a really hard worker.”
And there’s a reason why Trey stays so committed. Everything changed in last year’s district championship game.
“We lost our district championship game and I missed the game-winner,” Trey said.
Since then, Trey’s been dedicated to making sure that didn’t happen again, which meant working harder.
Last year, he averaged 18 points per game, this year just over 29.
“I had 3 40-point games back-to-back. I had a few 30-point games and a few 29. I had 29 in my last two games,” he said.
Trey currently leads the state in points per game — just a point 1 lead over the next guy, so he’ll tell you, there’s no time to slack.
“I have to try my best to keep that spot because I don’t want to lose it,” he said. “Because I’m gonna be pretty upset if I do, so I have to keep playing good, because that means that any off-game, it’s a chance for somebody to take the spot.”
That’s his focus now, keeping that number 1 title. A title that will help him play at the next level, like the University of Cincinnati where his pops used to play.
