Tall order to fill at family reunion

Daniel (left) and Michael Murray (third from left) of Princeton have cousins to look up to back in their dad’s hometown Robinson. Their cousin, Meyers Leonard (second from left), is a 7-foot all-stater for the state-ranked Maroons. Another cousin, Cody Chamblin (right) is a senior for Robinson, and cousin J.B. Chapman (front) is a junior high player. (Photo contributed)

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Imagine the basketball games Michael Murray could have at family reunions in downstate Robinson.

The Princeton High School junior and his brother, Daniel, a member of the 2009 PHS Elite Eight squad, are not the only family members who’ve got game.

Their second cousin, Meyers Leonard, is a 7-foot all-state center for their dad’s hometown Robinson High School. Leonard’s late father was the younger brother to the Murray boys’ grandmother, their dad’s (Aaron) mother. The Murrays’ cousin, Cody Chamblin, is also a senior on the Robinson basketball team.

Leonard is regarded by most scouting services as the best big man in the state. He will suit up for the University of Illinois next year, but for the moment has the Robinson Maroons in the hunt for Peoria. You can Google his name to find all sorts of scouting reports and video on the Murrays’ cousin.

Robinson, ranked eighth in 2A, overcame a 12-point deficit to post a 61-50 comeback overtime win over Tolono Unity Tuesday at Effingham. Leonard scored 25 points, putting in the exclamation mark with five dunks. The Maroons outscored the Rockets 15-8 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

“He sure likes to dunk the ball a lot,” said Murray, when told of his cousin’s sectional exploits.

The Murrays watched Leonard win last year’s IHSA Slam Dunk Contest in Peoria, taking the ball through his legs on his final dunk.

“That was pretty sweet,” Murray said.

Princeton, ranked in the top 10 for most of the season, is also now just two steps away from state after defeating Rock Falls Tuesday.

Due to the distance (250 miles) and all their sporting activities, the cousins don’t get together too often. They keep track of one another through Facebook and the Murrays subscribe to the Robinson newspaper. Most recently, the Murrays and Leonard boys got together for their great-grandmother’s funeral in December in Robinson, which is near Terre Haute, Ind.

There really hasn’t been many opportunities for the cousins to hoop it up over the years. Murray imagines what he would have to do to guard his tall cousin, whom he gives up 11 inches to.

“I’d try to not let him get the ball, but that’d be kind of hard,” he said.

There is one place they’d love to hold a family reunion — Carver Arena in Peoria. If both teams make it to state, they could meet for the state championship.

“We better get to work on it. That’d be great,” Murray said.

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