First year assistant men’s basketball coach Marcus Stewart believes the Tartan Pride has the right components at every position to bring a national championship to Sinclair Community College this season.
“We have the right attitude, we have the right superstar and we definitely have the right head coach to get us to where we want to go,” said 28-year-old Stewart. “For me, it’s a national championship or bust. Anything else would be a failure for us.”
Assistant coach Stewart seems accustomed to success. During his senior year at Colonel White High School, Stewart chipped in as a role player, helping the Cougars reach the regional finals.
After graduating from Colonel White, Stewart took his game to Brown Mackie College, located in Salina, Kan.
“I decided to take my chances 13 hours away and get a fresh start where nobody knows me,” said Stewart.
Brown Mackie won the 1999 Division II junior college championship when Stewart was a freshman.
“I was just your average, run of the mill, do everything player,” said Stewart. “What ever my coach asked, I would do.”
After two seasons with Brown Mackie, Stewart transferred to a small school in St. Louis called Missouri Baptist University. According to Stewart, he made a couple of all-defensive teams while playing for MBU. In 2003, he received his bachelor’s in business management with a minor in accounting.
Stewart’s first met head coach Jeff Price years ago at open gym.
“I knew him coming into the gyms,” said Price. “We had not really talked but we knew each other. I knew he was a really good player.”
Stewart said that Price needed some one who would be committed and who is going to do what he asks.
“I told him I’m your guy,” said Stewart. “Whatever he needs, I’m there.”
Price has seen the youth, enthusiasm and energy that Stewart has brought to the team, but knows he still has to find his style of coaching.
“He’s a great young man and he’s going to be a very good coach,” said Price. “I feel fortunate that he’s on my staff.”
Stewart believes you should treasure education more than basketball.
“Coach Price and myself, along with the rest of the athletic department, stress student-athlete first more than anything,” said Stewart.
In the future, Stewart hopes to continue his coaching career into college basketball’s elite programs.
“I would like to run my own program,” said Stewart. “Wherever I go, if I can help a guy become a better man and a better basketball player, I’ll be happy with it.”