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Tuesday, June 19, 2001
Forward signs with Islanders

By Darrin Scheid
Caller-Times
Kaskaskia College men's basketball coach John Cooksey said his starting power forward, 6-foot-6, 205-pound freshman Derrick Murphy, was easily the team's fan favorite last season.
   Twenty points and 10 rebounds per game have a way of making people like a guy.
   Fans in Corpus Christi get a turn to watch Murphy next season.
   Murphy has signed a letter of intent to play for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and will enroll at the school this fall, Islanders coach Ronnie Arrow said Monday. Murphy will be a sophomore and have three years of eligibility remaining.
   "Derrick can play two or three positions for us, and in our style of play, he will bring a lot of versatility," Arrow said. "He can put the ball on the floor and score from the inside or the outside. Not only that, but he's a great student. And the best part is that we'll have him for three years."
   Murphy played high school basketball at Rich Central in Illinois, a public school of about 2,000 students. There, he averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks per game. He was picked by members of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association to play in the year-end Illinois All Star Game. He finished his career at Rich Central as the school's all-time leader in rebounds.
   During his freshman year at Kaskaskia, he averaged 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
   Coaches in the league made him an All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference pick.
   "He got 20 and 10 every night," Cooksey said. "You could bank on it. He was extremely consistent. We're sorry to lose him, but that's what we're here for, to get guys to the next level. Fans here loved him, and I know the fans down there are going to love him just as much."
   Murphy is the fifth newcomer to next year's active roster.
   In April, the Islanders staff signed 6-7 forward Sean Cole from St. Monica (Calif.) High School.
   Three players who will gain eligibility next season - 6-7 sophomore forward Thomas Bailey, 6-2 sophomore guard Travis Bailey and 6-7 freshman forward Corey Lamkin - will suit up for the first time.
   Arrow said he has one scholarship remaining, and he plans to fill it with somebody who can play at point guard or shooting guard.
   Isles sign pitcher
   A&M-CC baseball coach Hector Salinas announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Ray White from Allen (Kan.) County College.
   White went 1-4 last season during his injury-plagued sophomore year. As a freshman he was 13-3 with a 3.21 earned run earned run average and helped the Red Devils to a berth in the junior college world series.
   Track inks Blake
   Islanders track and field coach Shawn Flanagan announced the signing of Schertz-Clemens High School runner Jasper Blake Jr. to a national letter of intent. Blake Jr. was a two-sport letterman in track and basketball.
   He finished fourth in the 400-meter dash at the Class 5A Region IV meet in April.


Contact Darrin Scheid at 886-3747 or scheidd@caller.com

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