Nuggets on Marshall

Here are a few nuggets from a story the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American did on early JSU basketball signee Trenton Marshall of Jones County Junior College. Marshall is currently the fifth leading scorer in the nation on the JUCO circuit (25.1) for a team that's currently 14-2.

Growing up in Garyville, La., the only organized sport Trenton Marshall played as a kid was baseball ... but Marshall never played an inning of baseball in high school. As a matter of fact, Marshall hasn't seen a single pitch since his AAU days (because) at some point, Marshall realized his talent is on the basketball court. And essentially it stemmed from boredom.

He signed with JSU early -- over Memphis, Southern Miss, LSU, Ole Miss, UAB and Mississippi State -- to get the process out of the way.

"I talked it over with (William Carey assistant coach) Scotty Fletcher and he was telling me it was best for me to get it out of the way," Marshall said. "That way I could just stay focused on the season. I guess it did me good."

Another factor in Marshall's decision to sign with Jacksonville State was the fact that former JCJC head coach Kyle Roane is an assistant under JSU coach James Green.

"Coach Roane recruited me out of high school," Marshall said. "He got me to Jones and me and him had built a pretty good relationship, so we stayed in touch. He brought me to Jones and I was successful so I just took his word that he's going to help me at Jacksonville State and make my dream come true."

Roane said with the amount of talent Marshall has, he doesn't need much help.
"I've got to give a lot of props to Trenton Marshall. He's done what he's supposed to do as far as going to class and doing what his coaches and teachers ask. Therefore, Trenton is going to have a chance to be successful.

"There's no question, right off the bat, I thought he had the chance to be a star. He's got unlimited basketball ability. His body is so physically mature, especially when he was in high school, and his basketball IQ is so high. That was the No. 1 thing that caught me, was his physical gifts and as he played, getting to see him operate and how intelligent he is at the game."