Live Scouting: South Carolina signee Collin Murray-Boyles at the National Hoopfest

Pleasant Grove, Utah – On3 was on hand for two Collin Murray-Boyles games at the 5 for the Fight National Hoopfest at Pleasant Grove (UT) High. The 2023 On3 150 No. 117 player helped his Mount Pleasant (UT) Wasatch Academy team go 2-and-0 in the event, winning their one NIBC game against St James (MD) School.

The 2023 On3 Consensus three-star forward chose South Carolina in August over offers from SMU, St. Bonaventure, and more.

Murray-Boyles averaged 10.5 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting 7-of-13 from the field in his two wins here. Let’s dive into the South Carolina signee’s game and how he played during the 5 for the Fight National Hoopefest.

Murray-Boyles’ produces

Some of it has to do with Collin Murray-Boyles’s positioning; actually, a lot of it has to do with positioning. Murray Boyles is not the biggest, listed at 6-foot-8. However, Murray-Boyles does have long arms, and he has great instincts.

Murray-Boyles is an excellent, very instinctive rebounder. He has great hands and does his work early around the basket to find positioning. He is a good traffic rebounder as well, with an understanding of how to use his hips and lower body to establish leverage over taller opponents.

The Wasatch Academy (UT) senior is also a quick jumper. While others may be more naturally explosive, Murray-Boyles gets to the peak of his jump quicker than most, and he reloads to get into his second jump after barely touching the floor.

Murray-Boyles uses his long arms and positioning well on the defensive end of the floor as well. He has quick feet to be able to beat a lot of forwards to their spots, but he also has active hands in the passing lanes, getting a lot of deflections and ultimately having a healthy number of steals.

The four-star is originally from Columbia, South Carolina. At the same stage, there was another undersized, left-handed South Carolina native who simply found ways to make positive production on both ends of the floor consistently. Trevor Booker graduated from Union (SC) High at 6-foot-7 and around 210 pounds.

A look at Murray-Boyles’s stat lines since the National Hoopfest event, 16 points, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, 8-for-8 from the field against Greenforest School (GA), 12 points, 11 rebounds, 2 steals against Oak Hill (VA), 18 points, 14 rebounds, 3 blocks against AZ Compass (AZ). He simply finds a way to produce each time out.

Injury history

Over the past 12 months, Murray-Boyles dealt with a foot injury that had him sidelined off and on. With his injury, it took him time to get back into playing shape, so when he was on the floor, he was not fully effective. I say this all to suggest how or why he fell under the radar in his recruiting.

Murray-Boyles has started this season both healthy and in great shape. Head coach Paul Peterson says his senior has dropped 25 pounds since the end of travel ball season. Traveling across the country to start his senior year, Murray-Boyles has shown that when he is healthy, he is a threat for a double-double every time he steps on the floor.

How he gets his offense

Like Trevor Booker, there is a want-to with Collin Murray-Boyles, a determination that finds himself in positive situations to score the ball. Part of that has to do with his coaching; Wasatch Academy (UT) head coach Paul Peterson does a great job running sets that find Murray-Boyles with one-on-one opportunities.

If Murray-Boyles is able to get over his right shoulder, he is near automatic around the basket. He knows the spots he wants to shoot from, and again, he uses his quick jump to catch the defender flat-footed. There is a quirky cadence to the forwards game, where he is consistently able to find the sliver of time to get a clean look.

Murray-Boyles does have a face-up game that he is comfortable showcasing from the high post. He is decisive, getting to his left hand with a quick jab, rip through, and then a straight line to the rim. However, with this Wasatch Academy (UT) team, Murray-Boyles does most of his damage with off-ball cutting, gathering a wide base around the basket, and finishing with his left hand.

With the quirky cadence to his game, Murray-Boyles also draws a lot of fouls. He has a consistent touch from the free-throw line, finishing 7-of-8 from the line in his two games here. The production has been consistent and efficient.