Shortly before scoring 14 points and pulling down six rebounds in Choate's 73-42 win over Avon Old Farms on Friday, former Hyde football/basketball star Deshawn Murphy placed a call to Yale football coach Tom Williams.
Williams was expecting to hear from the talented 6-foot-4 receiver but the news was not good for the Bulldogs as Murphy called to inform Williams that he was committing to Lehigh.
Murphy had recently visited both Lehigh and Lafayette just in case he didn't get enough of a bump in his SAT scores to land into one of the recruiting bands at Yale.
On Wednesday Murphy received his latest SAT scores.
"They (his scores) didn't come back what they needed to be," Murphy said. "I decided not to take it again and happy with my decision because Lehigh is a great fit for me.
"There is a little disappointment but Lehigh is a great opportunity. Even though Yale is a great place, they can't go and compete for a national titles. Ivy (schools) can't go to the playoffs. There are pros and cons about everything so if I go to Lehigh, I'll get to compete for a national title. I will play in a little higher level of athletics so I am not complaining about the decision and about not getting the scores. I had an opportunity and I didn't get a chance to take advantage of that opportunity so one door closes and another one opens."
The toughest part for Murphy was making the call to Williams who was hoping Murphy would join his Choate football teammates Adam Conklin and Kahlil Keys and basketball teammate Brandon Sherrod as freshmen at Yale in the fall.
"Coach Williams, I love him over there," Murphy said. "He asked if I was happy about my decision and consulted me about possibly some other schools. I have a good relationship with the Yale coaches, I have a good relationship with a lot of coaches so that door is always open for me. If that is the place I feel I need to be, I can always go there. That door is not closed."
Murphy said he is planning to head to Lehigh in July and will major in mechanical engineering.
Murphy would have been one of the top gets in Yale's incoming freshman class had things worked out. The blow of losing Murphy to Lehigh will be softened by the fact that Yale has two talented receiving among its list of reported commitments in 6-foot-5 Avery Lewis out of Richardson, Tex. and 6-foot Grant Wallace out of St. Louis. Yale is also in the mix with Malcolm Holland from Chandler, Ariz. Holland visited Yale earlier this month, was expected to visit Air Force this weekend before making to trip to his favored school Boise State next week.
As for the basketball game, Wallingford's John Papale (who still has another season of eligibility) led the way with 21 points with four 3-pointers, eight rebounds and four assists, Sherrod had 11 points and 11 rebounds, Dennis Levene had 10 points and Sacred Heart bound Phil Gaetano had seven points and five assists.
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