Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Fifth Coach Since 2010, MarQus Johnson Vows to Take St. Augustine's Men's Basketball to New Heights

By ADD SEYMOUR JR.
(Photo from St. Augustine's Athletics Dept Web Site)
St. Augustine's is looking to MarQus Johnson to bring some stability to the head coaching position in their men's basketball program.

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association institution has named the assistant coach the school's new head coach.  It is the fifth change in the head coaching position since 2010. Virginia State head coach Lonnie Blow Jr. led the team from 2008 through 2010, followed by Ken Spencer's two seasons.  Blow came back for the 2012-13 season before going to Virginia State. He was succeeded by Tony Sheals, who was named head coach at Virginia Union in April.

Now Johnson, who had been an assistant under Blow and Sheals, gets his shot.

"I think its time to give him his due and see where he can take the program," St. Augustine's athletic director and track and field coach, George Williams, said according to a story on the school's athletic department web site. "I have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead."

Johnson takes over a program that was 13-16 last season under Sheals.  The Falcons have hovered around the .500 mark in each season since Blow's 27-5 CIAA championship campaign in 2010

Johnson has had success as an assistant and as a semi-pro head coach.  He was an assistant under Blow from 2008 to 2010 before going to the Continental Basketball League as head coach of the Cary Invasion.  Cary was 22-5 in his two seasons, winning a CBL title.

"I am honored and humbled while also being appreciative of the opportunity that Saint Augustine's University [Interim] President Dr. [Everett B.] Ward and Coach Williams have given me," Johnson said in the web story.  "I will work diligently and with great passion to take this program to new heights. Our goal will be to recruit young men who not only value the opportunity to play collegiate basketball, but also have a sense of urgency in every aspect of winning.  When I say winning, I mean on the court, in the community and, most importantly, in the classroom."

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