FORMER Great Britain Under-20 standout Connor Murtagh has committed to Lancashire Spinners for the 2015/16 season.
The Bury-based basketball club missed out on the 21-year-old in 2014 when he elected to sign for Manchester Giants but limited action in the British Basketball League forced him to reconsider his options.
Beckenham-born Murtagh is a versatile small forward and at 6ft 5ins he excels at both ends of the court.
He said: “I’m a very athletic guy. I get up and down the floor quickly, I’m a perimeter defender and can hold my own against quick guys and big guys.
"I just bring energy to the team and that’s what I am, ever since I started.
“Being in the BBL was a great experience and I’m hoping to bring some of that, even though I am a young player and have not really been in basketball that long.
“I am glad to be a part of something that is progressing so much in Lancashire. I want to be a part of that success.”
The former Giant, entering only his fifth competitive season, has had a meteoric rise since joining the Cheshire junior set-up where he earned a trial with then Division Two team Manchester Magic.
He represented GB at the 2014 U20s European Championships in Crete, Greece, featuring in six games and scoring a personal tournament-high of eight-points in a loss to Serbia.
At Spinners, he will link-up with a familiar face in head coach Neal Hopkins with whom he worked with at U17s North West regionals in Nottingham, as well as former Magic team-mate Conor Porter.
Hopkins said: “Connor is an exciting player and prospect and he has been for a few years.
"Obviously, he has the experience of playing in the BBL and within Division One so he’ll fit in well.
“He has a unique skill set because he can do a little bit of everything, which is important, and we’ll spend time over the summer refining some of that and defining what his role is going to be within our team.”
A marquee signing like Murtagh not only demonstrates the ambition of the Lancashire Spinners but also the appeal.
General manager Ken Masser added: “We’ve put ourselves on the map as a team people want to play for because we’re genuine and give young guys a chance. We put them in the public eye and say, ‘look, these kids can really play’.”
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