Former SGTC and EKU Standout Murray Signs Professional Deal

October 10, 2016
Shamekia “Polly” Murray, 10, is shown above in her South Georgia Tech Lady Jets uniform. This is her photo that is shown on the SGTC Wall of Fame in the gym. She has now signed a control to play in a professional basketball league.
Shamekia “Polly” Murray, 10, is shown above in her South Georgia Tech Lady Jets uniform. This is her photo that is shown on the SGTC Wall of Fame in the gym. She has now signed a control to play in a professional basketball league.

RICHMOND, Ky. — Former South Georgia Technical College and Eastern Kentucky University standout Shameekia “Polly” Murray has signed a professional contract with the DePiro Basketball Club.

DePiro is an affiliate of the Malta Basketball Association located in Mtarfa, Malta. Malta is a southern European island in the Mediterranean which lies approximately 50 miles from Italy.

Murray, a 5’ 10” guard from Claxton helped lead South Georgia Technical College to a 30 – 5 overall record during her sophomore season. She was also voted the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA) Player of the Year and MVP of the NJCAA Region XVII Tournament. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I second team All-American averaged 17.2 points-per-game, 7.2 rebounds-per-game, 2.9 assists-per- game and 2.6 steals-per-game as a Lady Jet in 2013-2014.

She signed with Eastern Kentucky University and spent two seasons with the Colonels. She quickly made an impact for Chrissy Roberts’ team. Murray averaged 14.3 points-per-game during her tenure at EKU, shooting 44 percent from the floor.

“I’m excited about Shameekia having the opportunity to play overseas,” Roberts said. “She is a very talented player who has worked extremely hard to fulfill her dream of playing professional basketball. She will be successful at the next level. I am looking forward to following her professional career.”
Murray exploded onto the scene in her first season at EKU on her way to All-OVC honors. She averaged 14.0 points-per-game and 4.4 rebounds-per-game. She also shot 46.4 percent (148-of-319) from the field and led the team with 44 steals.

A native of Claxton, Georgia, Murray was named second team All-OVC both seasons with the Colonels. She earned the honor in her first season in Richmond in addition to being named to the OVC All-Newcomer team, after transferring from South Georgia Technical College.

She finished the 2015-2016 regular season eighth in the conference in scoring with 14.3 points-per-game while pulling down 5.3 rebounds and dishing out 2.7 assists-per-game. She shot a team-best 78 percent from the free-throw line and was ninth-best in the conference.

Her 34-point performance on 13-of-19 (68 percent) shooting in EKU’s 88-82 win over Saint Francis (Dec. 21, 2015) marked a career-high. In only two seasons with the program, Murray amassed 801 career points (14.3 ppg) in 56 career games, while shooting 44.5 percent from the floor.

Murray scored in double figures in 23 games her senior season and 42 times as a Colonel.