Men’s basketball: “Hungry” Posley prepares for successful senior season

To the student body of this Catholic university in rural New York and the community that supports it, he’s a star;  he’s MP3; he’s Marcus Posley. Two game-winning buzzer beaters allowed him to become this small school’s hero.

For Posley, individual accolades are deserved, but he doesn’t feel entitled to anything.  He remains humble, poised and unassuming about his success as a player.

Known best for his shooting abilities, Posley was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference third team last season with 16.7 points per game. He ranked fourth in the A-10 in three-point field goals per game with 2.5 and finished with 76 three-pointers on the season, the seventh-best mark in program history.

“Shooting is definitely my main strength,” the senior said. “Being able to create space and get to the basket is part of my craft.”

However, the loss of Jaylen Adams due to injury meant Posley had to distribute more than he was used to.  With just two assists per game, he knew he had to become a more efficient passer.

“One thing I really worked on this summer was my court vision and becoming a better passer,” he said.

 The loss of center Youssou Ndoye and the injury to Jordan Tyson has the Bonnies lacking a traditional big man.

“We don’t have a seven-footer in the paint anymore, so we’re stressing team defense a lot more this year,” said Posley, a Rockford, Ill. native. “As guards we have to get hungry and play sound defense on the ball.”

With a roster stocked full of new names, Posley stressed the importance of their desire to work hard and continuously improve. Young players have a tendency to be lackadaisical when the season begins, but one newcomer has stood out to Posley.

“Nelson (Kaputo) brings a lot to the table because he’s a great shooter and has great court vision,” Posley said. “He’s a pass-first point guard, but he definitely can score the ball and that’s something we need in this program.”

 Posley was named to the A10’s Preseason All-Conference Second Team, while the Bonnies were predicted to finish eighth in the conference. People are already making predictions on how he will play, but Posley emphasized the idea of taking practices and games one day at a time.

“New players and veterans have to be willing to work hard everyday and be coachable, and we can’t have any sense of entitlement.”