Thursday, March 25, 2004, Lawrence Eagle-Tribune

Central's Marquis Victor Claims Assumption Scholarship

By Hector Longo
Staff Writer
Nearly every boy who dribbles a basketball dreams of playing Division 1 ball. Central Catholic senior Marquis Victor was willing to gamble a scholarship away to keep that dream alive.

That is until Assumption College coach Tom Ackerman got the athletic Raider guard out to Worcester for a visit.

Reality set in for Victor. He found a home for the next four years and in the process locked up a full ride at one of the tougher programs in the Division 2 Northeast-10 Conference.

"I really liked the place, and the players were great, so was the coach," said Victor, who had entertained other Division 2 offers and the thought of prepping a year somewhere to move up to Division 1 before the visit. "Assumption is a good place for me to shine. He wants me to help the program right away. Both the coach and I feel like I can step right in and play. That was very important."

Victor, a three-year starter at Central and one of the great big-game "winners" in area history, becomes the second boys hoop player in the area's class of 2004 to pick up a full basketball scholarship, joining UNH's Chris Vetrano of Andover.
Reportedly, Lawrence's Luis Perez is closing in on a deal with Southern New Hampshire University, while Andover guard Jack Barrett is weighing some NE-10 options as well.

Central teams with Victor racked up a wicked 61-13 mark with two sectional titles won. The 6-foot-2 combination guard entered the 1,000-point club this winter, averaging a team-high 19.8 points a game for the North champs. Victor also had one of the great seasons in area history from the foul line this winter, connecting on 125 of 145 attempts for a .862 percentage.

"What more can you say about Marquis," said Raider coach Dick Licare, himself a product of the NE-10 (Merrimack). "He's done it so many times for us, especially in the big games."

Victor, who'll hit the books and the hardwood the rest of the year in preparation for the college life, took great pride in winning the scholarship, saving his family the potential burden of $120,000 in tuition, board, books and fees.

"This is something, by far, my greatest accomplishment," said Victor, of North Andover. "Scholarships just don't come around often. To have my parents not have to pay for anything, for all the work they've put in for me, taking me to camps and stuff, I'm so happy it paid off. I'm so glad to do this for them."

Playing less than an hour away from home was important to Victor, who looks forward to the idea of living in a college city like Worcester.

He'll also be able to visit and show off for the home folks at Merrimack College on a regular basis.

"So many people have told me how happy they are for me, and I can't thank everyone for all the support," said Victor. "I can't wait to see what I can do in college. This is the best for me. The three top guards in the program are graduating so I can't wait to go and step in."