2025-26 5Star Preps Boys Basketball Co-Players of the Year: Cade Murphy (Catholic), Justin Nordin (Bearden)

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BY DAVE LINK

Catholic senior Cade Murphy and Bearden senior Justin Nordin have played basketball most of their lives.

They’ve spent countless hours in gyms, developing their skills and becoming elite high school players.

Now, Nordin and Murphy are getting ready to graduate high school and take the next steps of their lives. Nordin signed to play for the Navy and Murphy signed with Eastern Kentucky University.

They are the 5Star Preps Co-Players of the Year for the 2025-26 season.

Here’s a look at each player’s path: 

 

MURPHY: ‘ALWAYS PLAYED’

Murphy, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, played on his first team as a 4-year-old.

“I’ve always played,” he said. “I’ve played since I was born. I played a little bit of baseball growing up, but since I was like 9 years old, it’s been straight basketball.”

After graduating from Catholic in May, Murphy reports to the Eastern Kentucky campus in Richmond, Ky., on June 14.

He will take a summer-school class, have eight weeks of basketball workouts, and return home for a couple of weeks before going to Eastern Kentucky for the long run in August.

“I’m super excited,” he said. “It’s starting to feel real.”

Murphy had his best season at Catholic as a senior, averaging 20.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals.

The Irish (24-7) advanced to the Division II-AA Final Four before losing to state champion Briarcrest Christian (30-3) in four overtimes, 75-72.

Murphy played for four different coaches during his four years at Catholic.

And he cherishes his time there.

“Catholic’s been great,” he said. “Obviously, there’s been ups and downs. I had four coaches in four years, which is a little crazy, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The people I’ve met there have been second to none. They’ve been awesome.

“And all the experiences and lessons that I’ve learned, through those ups and downs, I think they’ve really made me who I am. Catholic’s a place that if you like to step out of your comfort zone and be pushed, it’s a great place in every aspect. In basketball, the classroom, spiritually, everywhere, everyone there just makes you a better person.”

Murphy’s coach this past season was Travis Mains, who was originally hired as the Catholic girls’ coach in 2020.

While coaching the Lady Irish and his daughter Sydney, a 2024 graduate, Travis Mains was a constant presence in Murphy’s life.

In fact, Murphy’s first workout at Catholic was when he was an eighth grader, and he was invited to play while Mains was watching.

“Since then, we’ve just had a really good connection,” Murphy said, “and through all the (coaching) turnover, he’s been the consistency for me, like if I was struggling with something, he was always the guy I could talk to and get stuff off my shoulders. He was always there, just willing to help in any way he could.”

Mains saw Murphy’s game develop while he grew into his current physical frame. Mains said Murphy earned playing time as a freshman because one aspect of his game was already ready to compete at the varsity level.

“He could always shoot it,” Mains said.

Mains said the shooting efficiency separates Murphy from other players. Murphy finished with more than 2,000 career points at Catholic and almost 800 rebounds.

“The thing about Cade was, he’s so efficient,” Mains said. “He shot 72 percent from two (as a senior), 42 percent from 3, 92 percent from the line. He’d go play in the summers, and he’d do the same thing against some of the best players in the country. I feel like he’s really under-recruited.”

Murphy always had a gym where he could work out.

“I mean, like coach Mains has been in the gym so many early mornings and late nights with me even before he was my coach,” Murphy said. “Like when he was the girls’ coach, he was getting in the gym at like 7 in the morning or 8 at night. His door was always open. He was always there for me to talk to.”

Murphy is still working on his shot this summer, trying to release it quicker and with different angles in preparation for college-level defenders.

“And then outside of that, I’m just trying to get a lot stronger,” Murphy said. “I’ve been in the weight room a lot, trying to get more explosive. I’m trying to get better defensively is really one of the main things I’ve been focusing on right now, just really trying to step into Year 1 and try to get some minutes and try to contribute.”

Mains said he thinks it will happen.

“Cade’s just a winner, and he makes other people around him better,” Mains said. “He can score at all three levels. He’s put his heart and soul into it. I feel like his best basketball is ahead of him.”

 

NORDIN: ‘WE DID IT’

Nordin grew up watching his brothers be sports stars at Bearden, and it was his time the past four basketball seasons.

The 6-foot-3 combination guard led the Bulldogs (37-2) to the 2026 Class 4A state semifinals. Their only losses were to St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) and Bartlett of Shelby County (Memphis).

“It’s a goal at Bearden to get to the state tournament, and we did it,” Nordin said. “We had such a good year. We had a lot of wins, and coach (Jeremy) Parrott is such a great coach. We had a great season.”

His brothers were in the gym for many of Justin’s games.

Tyler Nordin is a 2020 Bearden graduate and was a Division I basketball recruit before suffering a knee injury during his senior year.

Lucas Nordin is a 2023 Bearden graduate, was the 2023 Tennessee Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year, and is a current player for UAB.

“Just having them around,” Justin said, “I just want to work hard and make them proud. I love to have that support.”

This past season, Nordin averaged 17.1 points, 4.4 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals. He shot 69 percent on two-point shots, 44.1 percent from 3-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Nordin’s career average of 14 points per game (1,981 career points) ranks fifth all-time in the Bearden history books. His 3.5 career assists per game (499 career assists) ranks second all-time at Bearden.

This year was Nordin’s first time reaching the state tournament at Bearden. The Bulldogs beat Hendersonville Beech 55-52 in the quarterfinals before losing to Bartlett 71-61 in the semifinals.

“We didn’t win it, but I’m still super proud of us,” Nordin said. “I’m more happy with the friendships I made.”

Nordin finished second on Bearden’s career record list for 3-pointers made (289); he was second in career 3-point percentage (43.4 percent); and tied for seventh in career free-throw percentage (78.8 percent, or 79 percent).

Nordin shot 58.3 percent on two-point shots for his career and averaged 1.8 career steals and 3.4 career rebounds.

Parrott said Nordin has a relentless work ethic, like his brothers.

“Justin is one of those incessant workers,” Parrott said. “He’s one of the few kids I’ve coached during my tenure where I’d have to say, ‘Maybe it’s time to take a day off.’ He’s one of the top three hardest working high school basketball players I’ve ever been around.

“His genetics helped. He grew. He got stronger in the weight room, but skill development was something he took very seriously. He just didn’t take many days off.”

All the work translated into his best season as a senior.

Nordin was the only Beaden player chosen to the 2026 all-state-tournament team; he and senior guard Sean Capshaw (Johnson University signee) earned Class 4A all-state honors.

“(Nordin) had a great year,” Parrott said. “He was a catalyst. We finished ranked 22nd in the country and were as high as 17th (by MaxPreps). He was a big part of our success. We had four really strong guards. None of those guys had to carry the team.”

Nordin credits Parrott for much of his success, calling him “a great coach.” Bearden has reached the state tournament in six of Parrott’s 10 seasons as coach.

“What I love about (Parrott) is he’s just trusted me since I was a freshman,” Nordin said. “I’ve been lucky enough to play every year. Basketball is one thing, but it’s not everything.

“I love him because he teaches you off-the-court things like good morals, teaches you how to deal with losing and just failures in life, teaches you how to be a good teammate. And that just translates over to life and stuff besides basketball.”

Parrott said Nordin will have a time at Navy when he must get accustomed to playing defense at the collegiate level due to the increased physicality, strength, and quickness.

Offensively, Parrott said Nordin is ready.

“He’s as complete an offensive player as you’ll see in high school at all three levels, for sure,” Parrott said.

Nordin is preparing for the next level by lifting weights, working out, and playing pick-up ball with friends.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “I’m getting my body ready. I’m doing everything I’ve been doing every other offseason.”

PAST RECIPIENTS

2025 — Ray’Quan Watson, Oak Ridge
2024 — Jahvin Carter, Alcoa
2023 — Jahvin Carter, Alcoa
2022 — Jakobi Gillespie, Greeneville
2021 — Jakobi Gillespie, Greeneville
2020 — B.J. Edwards, Catholic
2019 — Ques Glover, Bearden