By: Omar K. Elmore, Senior Writer
Wofford’s men’s basketball team added five players, including four freshmen and one transfer, for the 2017-2018 season.
One player’s résumé includes being named First Team All-Conference, an honorable mention All-State selection and a viral dance video.
Enter Storm Murphy ‘21 from Middleton, Wisconsin. At Middleton High School, Murphy averaged 18.4 points along with 4.5 assists per game. Though he excels on the court, he may be more well-known for his viral YouTube video in which he dances to a meme-worthy song with his parents.
Another new addition hails from outside of the South. Keve Aluma ’21 had ten offers but selected Wofford, one of the furthest from his hometown, Berlin, Maryland.
A walking double-double, the all-around forward averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds at Stephen Decatur High School. Aluma’s father Peter played professionally, including appearances in the NBA and with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Grayson Hickert ‘21 also averaged a double-double in high school with 19.4 points, 11.3 rebounds along with 3.1 blocks. Hickert played for Lake Norman Charter in his hometown Huntersville, N.C. and is their all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage.
A dual athlete, Hickert also played varsity baseball, posting a .931 fielding percentage. The forward joins a youthful group of big-men that includes no seniors on the roster.
Tray Hollowell ‘21, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky may be the most decorated of all the incoming players. Starting all four years at University Heights Academy, Hollowell averaged 20 pints, five rebounds and five assists.
His accolades include being named to the All-District and All-Region teams all four years he played, two All-State selections, four All-Region and All-District selections and was the 2017 Toyota of Hopkinsville Southern Pennyrile Boys’ Basketball Athlete of the Year.
The 6’3” point guard will help shore up a huge roster hole left by the loss of Eric Garcia ’17.
The one transfer, Chevez Goodwin ‘20, played for College of Charleston last season. Goodwin averaged 18.9 points, 12 rebounds and 1.7 blocks his senior year at Hammond School in Columbia, SC. He led his team to a 27-3 overall record and a semifinal run.
Goodwin, who goes by the nickname Chevy, looks to add a proven post-game to the team.
“These are all great guys,” says Coach Young who enters his 16th season as head coach for the men’s basketball team. “There’s just been a great energy in the locker room. Everyone is ready to get the season started.”
The Terriers will open their season against the University of South Carolina on November 10th. The game will be played in the new Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium which will seat 3,400 fans. South Carolina is coming off a strong season in which they made it to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament.
