BASKETBALL

Hometown heroes: Stanley's DeSean Murray helps Auburn to first national ranking since 2003

Richard Walker

rwalker@gastongazette.com

Auburn forward Desean Murray (13) brings the ball up court during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Alabama on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama won, 76-71. (AP Photo/Laura Chramer)

GASTONIA - Stanley's DeSean Murray has helped Auburn to its first national top 25 ranking since 2003.

Murray scored 1,171 points at East Gaston and earned 2013 All-Gazette honors before transferring to Charlotte's Northside Academy.

After two years at Presbyterian College where Murray was 2015 Big South freshman of the year and 2016 All-Big South Conference, he transferred to Auburn.

This season, the junior forward is averaging 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19 starts entering Wednesday night's game at Missouri. Auburn (17-2, 5-1) hosts LSU in its next game on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Pro basketball

Gastonia's Hassan Whiteside is averaging 14.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in 29 starts for the Miami Heat.

Terry Whisnant (Cherryville 2011) is averaging 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in eight games for Beroe of the Bulgaria NBL.

And Keith Rendleman (East Lincoln 2009) is averaging 7.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 19 games for the Kircheim Knights of the Germany Pro A league.

More college basketball

At Hickory's Tarlton Complex on Thursday at 6 p.m., Catawba Valley Community College (11-3, 6-0) hosts Louisburg (12-2, 8-2) in Region X women's basketball. For CVCC, Nikkyana McCaskill (Forestview 2015) is averaging 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.3 rebounds in 12 games (11 starts). And for Louisburg, Yontyanna Melvin (North Gaston 2016) is averaging 9.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 13 games (12 starts).

At Connecticut, former Ashbrook standout Isaiah Whaley is averaging 3.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17 games (nine starts) for the Huskies (10-7, 3-3), who host American Athletic Conference rival SMU on Thursday at 7 p.m.

And for North Carolina, Aaron Rohlman (Hunter Huss 2014) is averaging 0.3 points, 0.4 rebounds and 1.5 minutes in 14 games for the Tar Heels (16-5, 5-3), who host ACC rival N.C. State on Saturday at noon.

Coming up: Feb. 1 - 2018 College baseball preview, Feb. 8 - 2018 College softball preview, March 29 - 2017-18 College basketball wrapup, April 5 - 2018 Pro baseball preview

Richard Walker: 704-869-1841; twitter.com/jrwalk22