Dennis Murphy knew he was inheriting a rebuilding project when he agreed to come out of retirement to coach Phoenix's boys basketball team this season.
But the 75-year-old Murphy – who went 698-213 in 36 seasons at St. Mary's (1975-82) and South Medford (1987-2016), winning a state title at both stops – said that “the mountain is a whole lot steeper than I thought.”
After losing all of their rotation players from last season, when they went 18-9 and lost in the 4A quarterfinals, the Pirates have struggled to an 0-5 start.
“I do like the challenge, but it's engulfed me a little more than I thought it might,” Murphy said. “The kids are practicing hard, they're trying hard. We're trying to make the best of it. We're taking some steps in the right direction.”
Troy McNichols resigned as Phoenix's coach after last season. The school twice hired a replacement, but both coaches pulled out, putting the Pirates in a bind.
Phoenix-Talent School District superintendent Brent Barry, who played for Murphy at South Medford, reached out to see if Murphy would be interested in temporarily filling the void. Due to his relationship with Barry, Murphy agreed to listen.
“Brent texted and said, 'Can you help us out with this deal?'” Murphy said. “I have great respect for Brent and what he's done for the school district. He's a great superintendent.”
Since leaving South Medford after a state runner-up finish in 2016, Murphy had left basketball behind, other than brief stints coaching his granddaughter's eighth-grade team and assisting for the Southern Oregon University men's team.
“Quite honestly, I really have had no desire,” Murphy said of coaching. “I said when I retired, 'I had a great, great run, I count my blessings.'”
Murphy met with Phoenix administrators and said he would consider taking the job if he could bring aboard his former South Medford assistants, Kirk Daley and Mike Vanderhoff. Phoenix agreed, and Murphy was back.
“Sometimes it's nice to be able to pay back,” Murphy said. “I told them they can call me the bridge. I will bridge this season to the next one. Whoever's going to take this thing over, I will support them. But I'm definitely not in this for the long term, by any means.”
It didn't take long for Murphy to realize the extent of the rebuilding job at Phoenix. The Pirates lost all of their meaningful experience from last season, and lacked reinforcements from a JV team that went 3-19.
Murphy said this season is his biggest rebuilding effort since the late 1990s at South Medford, where he won 18 conference titles and coached in three state finals, claiming the title in 2007.
“I had it so good for so long,” said Murphy, who retired with the highest winning percentage in state history (76.6). “Everything was just in place. Kids came through the system and they knew how to play, so we were able to continue on a great run.”
The Pirates were somewhat competitive in opening the season by losing to North Valley 68-54, Sweet Home 45-33 and Yreka (Calif.) 59-37, but were overwhelmed in falling to 4A No. 1 Marshfield 80-31 and 5A No. 8 Crater 66-30.
It won't get much easier Thursday when the Pirates meet 4A No. 6 Junction City in the opening round of the Christmas Classic at Cascade Christian. But Murphy said he is hopeful that they can pick up their first victory in the three-day tournament.
Murphy, No. 7 on the state's all-time wins list, needs two victories to reach 700. He believes the Pirates will have a chance to pick up some wins in the 4A Skyline Conference.
“I think there are some teams in our league we can compete with,” he said. “If things go well, we'll get a few wins.”
jerryu@osaa.org
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