ENC alum JP Marcellus (’09) has spent his years after graduation playing basketball for professional leagues around the country and around the world.
A starter his freshman year, Marcellus played for the men’s basketball team each of the five years he attended ENC. In his junior year, he was declared ineligible to play for the rest of the season; motivation spurred Marcellus to pick up his game and work harder for the sport he loves so much.
Marcellus recalls this formative memory: “My teammate and great friend Alex Carr took me aside and basically told me we are going to live in the gym the entire summer, and we did. I will never forget that summer.”
The summer after graduation, Marcellus played for a Pro AM League (a summer league with pros from the US) and was named a league All-Star. This led to him travelling with a tour team all over Germany for two weeks.
Just last year, a basketball team in England offered Marcellus a position with the Mansfield Giants, and his basketball career picked up again. He has wonderful memories of his time on that team, commenting that “they [were] truly like a second family to me, except with really funny accents.”
During his season with the Giants, Marcellus accumulated some impressive statistics: he averaged 19.5 points per game (6th best in the league), 10.3 rebounds per game (4th best in league), 3.6 assists per game (5th best in the league), 2.3 steals per game, and 1.0 blocks per game. Marcellus also achieved the only triple double in the league with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in a game against the Eastside Eagles.
He was also honored with the title of 2nd most efficient player in the entire England Basketball League.
Marcellus is currently seeking to move up the ladder in the basketball world. While he waits for an offer to play for a team next season, he works as the head coach for men’s basketball at Lexington Christian Academy. Despite these prestigious and incredible opportunities in his post-grad life, he still holds on to many treasured memories he created while playing basketball for ENC.
“Nothing beats beating Gordon College on our home court in front of a packed crowd my senior year. I couldn’t imagine sharing that with a better group of guys,” Marcellus fondly remembers.
JP Marcellus’ love for basketball is clearly a passion and a vital part of his life; even more so, his relationship with God is truly what fuels him daily.
“I know God gave me basketball to use as my testimony for Him. This is more than my love for basketball, but instead God’s love for me—to give me the gift of basketball and use me through it.”
Marcellus offers this piece of advice to ENC athletes: “The ENC jersey doesn’t have to be the last jersey you put on. Put God first and see where He takes you.”