Shane Murphree headed to Myrtle as girls coach

Shane Murphree is leaving Thrasher to be the next head girls basketball coach at Myrtle. He replaces Ron Wilson.

Murphree took over as the Thrasher girls and boys coaches before the 2021-22 season. The girls won just two games between 2015 and 2021.

In 2024-25, Murphree led the Rebels to the state championship game for the first time in school history and was named the Daily Journal’s Girls Coach of the Year. This past season, the Rebels went 16-12 and bowed out to Ingomar – the eventual Class 1A state champion – in the first round.

“I've loved my time at Thrasher, but at the same time, I’m really excited to be going to Myrtle with the tradition that they have there, and kind of moving back,” Murphree said. “I grew up in Union County, so to be able to go back closer to home is big for me, and I’m excited to get to work with those kids there.”

Murphree went to West Union Attendance Center and graduated in 1998. In his time there, Murphree remembers playing in and seeing a lot of games against the Hawks, who always seemed to have great coaching, players and community support.

“I feel like right now they've got a lot of good young talent that I'm thrilled to get the chance to work with,” he said. “And I'm hoping that we can build special things there together.”

The Hawks went 13-14, finished second in the Region 2-2A tournament and were knocked out in the first round last season.

In order to improve off of that, Murphree wants to build a team that the school and community are proud of. A team that packs the stands, plays hard, plays together and plays with discipline.

“I think what it's going to take is just building those habits through practice,” he said. “I think we're going to have to just focus on the present, on getting better every day, and just stacking good days and trying to take the program up a notch to where we're back at the top of 2A.”

Myrtle last reached the state championship game in 2010-11, when it lost to McAdams in the 1A final. The Hawks last won it all in 2003, when they took home the 1A crown.