12.19.06

Brooks making his mark
December 19, 2006

By Lee France
Charleston Daily Mail

If you look in a University of Charleston men's basketball program beside Marquis Brooks' name, it lists Dayton, Ohio, as his hometown. His mother, however, lives in Minnesota and that makes it difficult for her to attend many of his games.

Brooks doesn't mind if she misses a few games a year, because she is his biggest critic.
"It makes it easier when she is not here," the 6-3 junior guard Brooks said with a smile. "She is my biggest fan, but that also, sometimes, makes her very tough on me."

Brooks, with a game-high 17 points, helped lead the Golden Eagles (3-3) to their second straight win with a 72-68 victory over Chowan (4-6) on Monday night at Eddie King Gym.

Brooks grew up idolizing his brothers' basketball ability and watching Michael Jordan on television. His decision to come to UC was based mostly on potential playing time and the chance to be coached by UC head Coach Greg White.

"I figured if I went to a Division I school, I wouldn't get a chance to spend a lot of time on the court early in my career," Brooks said. "Besides the fact that Charleston offers great academic programs, I felt like I could jump right into the action on the court and grow immediately with this program."

White says he didn't really know exactly what he had when he put Brooks out on the floor for the first time.
"That's the way it always seems to go with freshman though," White said. "You put them out in game situations and it's like throwing a keg of dynamite and you just never know when they are going to go off. Marquis (Brooks) took his opportunity and ran with it."

As a junior, Brooks is in a leadership role with a young Golden Eagles team that has just three seniors on its roster.
"I like being looked at as the leader," Brooks said. "I like having the ball in my hands and decisions to make for this team."

White said that Brooks "has done a phenomenal job at being a leader."
Brooks had to deliver a halftime speech to his teammates to overcome a five-point deficit and pull out the victory over the Hawks.

UC shot a paltry 29-percent (7-of-24) in the first half, but knocked down more than fifty percent in the second half and that seemed to be the difference in the game.

"This is a quality win against a quality opponent," White said.
"If they were in our conference, it would add one more solid competitor to an already solid conference. This turned out to be a character win for us."

Senior forward Dustin Kinney scored 17 points, Robert Strickland 16, and Austin Weatherington 15 rounded out the Golden Eagles' double-digit scorers.

The Golden Eagles, along with the rest of area Division II basketball, will get a long break off for the holidays.
The next time UC will be on a basketball court for competition is Jan. 2-3 in the John Dickensheets Classic at West Virginia State.

UC and State will both play former West Virginia Conference foe WVU Tech in the two-day event.