PALATINE, Ill. – Tabbed as one of the best junior college basketball conferences in the country, the North Central Community College Conference (N4C) features some of the best teams in the nation. Players who step up and perform on a night-in and night-out basis are noticed. This is the case for Hawks point guard Marcus Gatlin (Chicago, Ill./Curie).
After a pair of 23-point performances in league play this past week, Gatlin is being recognized as the second Harper College Athlete of the Week for the 2015-16 school year.
Gatlin's first 23-point game came at Milwaukee Area Technical College, now ranked No. 9 in the country, on Saturday. He did so in efficient manner, knocking down 10-of-17 shots and 2-of-3 free throws in 36 minutes of action. The sophomore added three rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
On Wednesday evening against Madison College, Gatlin carried the scoring load for the Hawks, scoring a game-high 23 points (9-of-21) in 40 minutes. He also chipped in eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals. In seven N4C games, Gatlin holds averages of 19.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 4.4 APG.
"Through my six years as a basketball coach on several different levels, I've never seen someone with the drive, commitment, and desire that Marcus Gatlin (Chicago, Ill./Curie) has," said Harper head coach Justin Welke. "He inspires me on a daily basis and has added so much to my life. Marcus is living proof that if you work hard and make sacrifices, good things will come your way."
Gatlin has shown tremendous improvement from his freshman season to sophomore season and has plenty of awards to show for it. He was recently named the NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball National Player of the Week and has also been named NJCAA Region IV Div. III Men's Basketball Player of the Week twice (Dec. 14, Jan. 4).
In 23 games this season, Gatlin is averaging 17.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 5.5 APG in 36.2 MPG (second in nation). The sophomore is shooting percent (122-of-304) from the field. More impressively, he leads the nation in free throws made with 134. Gatlin shoots free throws at a 72.8 percent (134-of-184) clip. He's scored over 20 points seven times and has reached double figures scoring in 21 of 23 games.
"He has earned all the success he is having this year as one of the top point guards in the nation on the junior college level," Welke said. "I'm so incredibly proud of him and so excited about what the future has in store for him. Learning from Marcus has been a blessing in my life."
