Boys' basketball: Hargis becomes latest star at Prep, leads all-DJ team
PATRICK BUGANSKI
Special to The Daily Journal
The walls of both gymnasiums at St. Augustine Prep are lined with the accomplishments of past basketball teams and countless standout players who have gone to on illustrious collegiate and professional careers.
Marlon Hargis' name is the latest to adorn those walls.
The senior led the Hermits to a 20-7 campaign despite playing one of the most difficult schedules in South Jersey. He averaged 19.1 points, and earned the title of 2017-18 Daily Journal Boys' Basketball Player of the Year.
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For the 6-foot-6 Hargis, this season was more than four years in the making.
"Even before high school, I had envisioned all of this, and by the time I was a senior, being the focal point, for it to happen the way it did, it was great.," he said. "The Prep has a great history. Great players have gone through there. To be on the 1,000-point list and be up there with those players, It's a great honor."
Like other greats who donned the Hermits' blue, Hargis draws heavy praise from coach Paul Rodio.
"Marlon played a variety of positions on the floor," Rodio said. "He was asked to go inside, asked to go outside. He was asked to bring the ball up. He shot from the perimeter, he shot from the inside. I thought he became a very good foul shooter as the season went on."
The versatility of Hargis' game was on display game-in and game-out, and paid off because no defense could slow him down.
"Depending on what defense they were playing, sometimes I saw a box-and-one, sometimes the defense would shift to my side," Hargis said. "I was just trying to get myself going based on the defense. It was something I dealt with all year."
The opponents included out-of-state powerhouses as well as some of the top teams in South Jersey. It's not surprising, he showed up against all of them.
"If you're talking about the possibility of a kid being a Division-I player, that's what those kids have to do," Rodio said.
That's the type of experience that should also help Hargis as he continues his career. He has not decided on a college destination yet, but he's excited for the next challenge
"At the next level, I'm just excited for the speed of the game and going against college guys," Hargis said. The speed of the game is going to faster, and I want to see how I adapt to that. I already started training and getting ready for wherever I go. I'm just excited."
2017-18 Daily Journal All-Stars
Marlon Hargis, St. Augustine – The 2017-18 Daily Journal Boys' Basketball Player of the Year.
D.J. Campbell, Vineland – The junior point guard led Vineland in scoring with 25.2 points per game, and averaged 7 rebounds and 3 steals as well.
Rynell Lawrence, Millville – Leading the Thunderbolts, Lawrence averaged 18.5 points per game, including 11 games in which the forward scored more than 20 points.
Javon Gordon, Delsea – The senior guard led the Crusaders with more than 18 points per game and hit double digits in every contest. He also averaged three steals per game for Delsea's stifling defense.
Kolby Braxton, Delsea – The team's top rebounder, Braxton pulled down more than 200 boards. Offensively, the senior guard reached double digits in scoring 14 times in 31 games, including eight of the team's final 10 games.
Vineland: Raymond Diggs.
Millville: Little John Green, Lonnie Broome Jr.
Buena: Isaiah Kennison, James Little.
St. Augustine: Charles Solomon, Travis Soll.
Delsea: Nate Cox, Aziz Saud, Kobey Evans, Will Hawkins.
Cumberland: De'chanelle Loatman, Jamere Muschette.
Schalick: Javon Spann, Tyrese Snipe, C.J. Holmes.
Cumberland Christian: Mytchell Parmer, Anthony Cruz.
Patrick Buganski; (856) 486-2424; cpvarsity@gmail.com