Averett forward
Marquis Scott plays a unique style of basketball.
Where most players rely on finesse moves to get to the basket, Scott has no qualms about physically moving or even going over another player. Some players want to focus on being either a perimeter player or a post player; Marquis is fine with doing both. Others like to work on inflating their points per game average, but even in pick-up games he wants to get every rebound.
Averett coach
Matt Parke calls his style of play relentless and because of this he has earned a nickname that has grown beyond the team. Even other students and professors have begun to call
Marquis Scott 'The Machine.'
“He gave me the nickname because I'm always crashing the boards and trying to get rebounds on every play,” Scott said. “He said I'm like a machine and I never stop going. That's why I got the nickname.”
“When guys earn a nickname, it tends to stick,” Parke said. “I think 'The Machine' has kind of stuck with him just because that is the best adjective for how he rebounds. He is relentless. He is like a terminator out there.”
Parke sees a difference between Scott and other players in general. According to Parke, 'The Machine' has more of a football player's mentality. He isn't afraid to make physical contact and plays very aggressively at all times. This tenacity and toughness is a big reason he was able to grab 20 rebounds in Averett's Feb. 13 win over Shenandoah, the most by any Cougar in over 22 years.
“It's a mindset,” Parke said. “He is a bruiser, he is a kid that isn't afraid of being bumped and just really likes the contact. He really relies on being relentless. His greatest strength is his versatility. He can do it all; he can play in the post and he can play on the wing.”
Scott has proven himself to be an all-around player in his second year with the Cougars. He has had five double-doubles this season, including a 12 and 12 performance against tonight's opponent, Ferrum, on Jan. 26. He averages more than 10 points per game and grabs 7.3 rebounds per game. Parke says Scott has the ability to analyze his opponent and make decisions about whether to use power moves or finesse moves — like a machine.
“Most of the four men in our conference are much bigger than me, so they're slower,” Scott said. “I just use my speed to get around them and it helps me get rebounds. If they're quicker, I use my size.”
“He is that 'tweener' where he is in between, which is why he plays the three and the four positions for us,” Parke said. “He is good enough that he can post up but he is also good enough that he can play on the perimeter. He is good at both positions, and what we need to work on in the offseason is for him to be great at both positions.”
His determined and versatile style of play has inadvertently helped improve his teammates. He brings a lot of hustle to the practice floor as well and because of this the rest of the Cougars have to step up their game in order to hang with 'The Machine.'
“He's one of the hardest workers we've got,” Parke said. “He's a guy who is able to run for days and certainly he does get tired, but he is one of the better conditioned athletes on the team. He's also one of the best kids we've got, too. He always has a good attitude and is a guy who hasn't let this season get him down. He is a guy who comes back in every day and wants to work hard.
“When he puts his mind to it, there aren't many guys in the league that can stop him from going to get it,” Parke added. “In practice, he puts his mind to it quite often. He goes and dominates rebounding drills and raises the level of everyone's play because they understand that if they don't try as hard as they can there is a good chance they will get embarrassed. It's been a good thing.”
Hopefully that good thing will continue tonight when The Machine and the rest of the Cougars travel to Ferrum for 7:30 p.m. tipoff in the opening round of the USA South basketball tournament.
