By JOE BUIE, Tyler Morning Telegraph Staff Writer

Former Whitehouse standout point guard Mitch Marquis will play for his father next season at Tyler Junior College, confirmed Mike Marquis.

Mitch signed with NCAA Division I Centenary College in November but was granted a release from his scholarship in the spring.

Afterward, it was announced that the Centenary men's basketball program would be banned from postseason play next season over academics. The first-ever penalty was handed down by the NCAA in its annual academic progress report.

The Centenary men's basketball program was also mentioned in a May 2008 story as facing a possible postseason ban.

Centenary qualified for its conference tournament this past season as the No. 8 seed before losing to No. 1 seed North Dakota State. Centenary was 6-12 in league play and 8-23 overall.

Mike Marquis, who has coached the Apaches for eight seasons, said his son's own health issues contributed to the decision to ask for a release. Mitch began treatment for migraine headaches in March, his father said.

"The reason I'm excited is it was his idea (to come to TJC)," said coach Marquis, adding that Mitch had other Division I options. "I think he provides us with the opportunity to have a lifelong point guard. He's been playing it his whole life. Reggie (Nelson) had a fabulous year for us last year but we had to develop him into (a point guard).

"His signing with us created a lot of other opportunities."

Coach Marquis said Brent Barz, a 6-10 forward, opted to return to TJC when he could have signed with a Division I program.

Marquis' signing gives the Apaches a trio of players from the Iowa-based Martin Brothers AAU summer basketball team. The others are 6-8 power forward Malcolm Moore of Iowa City, Iowa, and 6-7 wing Jaron Nash from Waterloo, Iowa.

Moore led Iowa City High with 21.4 points, 11 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game.

"Malcolm has routinely been considered the highest-ranked player in the state of Iowa," Marquis said.

Nash, from Waterloo East -- the same school that produced former TJC star Tyrone Cole-Scott, averaged 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds as a senior. Nash also made 21 3-pointers.

"We had some big shoes to fill when Reggie graduated," Marquis said. "Obviously, we were looking for a way to fill the point position, and with losing Tyler Jefferson, who had a great year, (we) felt like we were able to do that with Malcolm.

"We replaced Denzel Jackson with (Robert E. Lee's) Devin Wheeler. We needed to replace Alan Branch and (former Whitehouse standout) Kyle Ford transferring in really solidified (shooting guard). The bonus was getting the athletic wing in Jaron. And their AAU team played the same system that we run."

Coach Marquis said he has studied the positives and potential pitfalls of coaching your own child. Marquis spent the last four years watching Mitch run the offense at Whitehouse and twice be selected the district MVP.

"You don't have to watch him play very long to know he plays with a lot of passion -- and plays to win," the coach said. "He's always going to put the team first."

Nelson (6-1 guard), Jefferson (6-6 forward) and Branch (6-4 guard/forward) signed with NCAA Division II Eastern New Mexico University of the Lone Star Conference. ... "Reggie and Tyler turned down several Division I's," Marquis said. "Those three kids are just really close. They were looking for an opportunity to continue their success together." ... Jackson (6-7 forward), who played his sophomore year with TJC last season, signed with Division II American International College of Springfield, Mass. ... Players expected to return to TJC for their sophomore seasons are Barz, Jonathan Edwards, Byron Maxson, Brad Gay, LaBree Sledge and R.J. Samuels.

Link to Original Article:  http://tylerpaper.com/article/20090621/SPORTS06/906210305/-1/SPORTS