Cory McPherson, A 6-foot rising senior point guard out of Sunshine Elite and The First Academy in Orlando, Florida, announced his commitment to the University of Tampa on Monday.

McPherson chose the Spartans over offers from a handful of Division II programs such as Rowan University in New Jersey as well as Georgia Gwinnett College. He also received interest from Lander University in South Carolina and the University of North Georgia. 

During the Grassroots season, he played under John Elgani, who is currently the top varsity assistant at Oak Ridge High School and is the club owner of Sunshine Elite, where they won the Inaugural On The Radar Hoops Circuit Championship in 2025. He ran the lead guard position alongside Whitfield Bynoe, who is arguably the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the circuit this season. He averaged 17.3 points. 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.2 steals per game while shooting 43% from behind the arc and 88% from the free-throw line this season.

On The Radar Hoops Circuit Media Director Jonathan Hemingway on McPherson: “McPherson earned a reputation as the premier two-way guard on the OTR Circuit this season. His athleticism allows him to impact as a rim finisher and as a disruptive defender. The Spartans are getting a quality player and a high-character young man.”

On The Radar Hoops Southeast Region Scout Ross Van De Griek on McPherson: “​​McPherson is a quick and athletic guard who can get to his spots off the catch as well as off the bounce scoring on all three levels. On the defensive end, he was pestering whether it was guarding on the ball or in the passing lanes. His two-way presence speaks a lot of volumes that will open a lot of eyes

Sunshine Elite OTR 17U Head Coach John Elgani on McPherson: McPherson is the example that every player moving forward should follow coming into our program. His first season, he came off the bench all year and never complained just mastered his role. He continued to work and became a staple of everything that we did both offensively and defensively. Cory missed 2-3 practices total in 4 years and always competed in every drill no matter what it was. His commitment is a testament to his mindset day in and day out, and the University of Tampa is getting an absolute steal!

The First Academy Head Coach Tarrik Mabon on McPherson: “He is the heart and soul of our basketball program here at TFA.  For the last three years, he's worked his tail off the right way with no shortcuts or excuses. He can score on all three levels, defend 94 feet, and he is an exceptional rebounder for a kid his size. In addition, he's an excellent leader. He truly deserves this moment. Coach Darner and the University of Tampa are getting a good one.

During his junior season at The First Academy, McPherson averaged 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.9 steals per game. The Royals finished the 2025-2026 season with a 19-11 record and reached the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 2A, Region 1 Finals before their season came to an end against eventual champion Providence. 

Ross Van De Griek has been a Southeast region scout for On The Radar Hoops since 2024. He has been involved in basketball scouting with various stops at Prep Hoops and Prep Girls Hoops since 2022. You can reach him via email at rossvdg14@gmail.com or follow him on X (@RossVDG14) and Instagram (ross_vdg14)