Family ties bind Team Marcotte to Mundelein
As a freshman playing on Mundelein's varsity basketball team during the 2009-10 season, Robert Knar played for his dad, coach Dick Knar. More than a decade before that, Kyle Kessel earned a varsity promotion as a freshman from his father, Mustangs coach Dennis Kessel.
As a freshman playing varsity basketball for Mundelein this season, Tommy Marcotte also has a family member he can count on for wisdom and support during practices and games.
"He's a tough guard, especially for a freshman," Mustangs senior forward Kevin Marcotte said of his kid brother. "He can handle the ball really well, and he's got heart. He gets down - he's a freshman - but he's willing to fight. He'll battle for you."
Competitiveness runs in the Marcotte family. Oldest brother Matt was a swimmer for Mundelein who, as a senior in 2012, joined Bryan Wiener, Art Kasemets and Connor Black on the Mustangs' state runner-up 200-yard medley relay. All three Marcotte boys are three years apart.
Middle son Kevin is a first-year varsity starter after getting some playing-time coming off the bench last season. Last Friday night, playing against a Libertyville lineup that featured 6-foot-10 Joe Borcia, 6-6 Ben Kimpler and 6-6 Conor Peterson, the 6-1, 190-pound Marcotte hustled for 10 rebounds and scored 11 points. Marcotte also took a charge.
"He plays his butt off," Mundelein coach Corey Knigge said of his senior leader, who's posted double-digit points - including 15 against Barrington in late November - five times.
"I've always been undersized," Kevin Marcotte said. "Growing up, I was a little chubby so I always played a 'big.' I wasn't super-short. I've always boxed out really well. I just put a body on someone. I played football growing up so I got a little muscle on me (smiling)."
Tommy Marcotte is listed at 5-10 and just 140 pounds. He has a pair of 13-point games to his credit.
Few freshman boys get the chance to play varsity basketball. For Marcotte, the task is especially tough considering the North Suburban Conference boasts Division-I recruits such as Stevenson's Jalen Brunson (Villanova) and Connor Cashaw (Rice), Lake Forest's Evan Boudreaux (Dartmouth) and Zion-Benton's Admiral Schofield (Tennessee), as well as Borcia and Lake Zurich's high-scoring Mike Travlos (Division II Hillsdale College).
Mundelein's lack of varsity experience and stiff competition help explain the team's 1-14 record.
"He's a freshman playing in one of the toughest conferences in the state - probably the best conference in the state," Knigge said of Tommy Marcotte. "Every night he's playing against dudes that are bigger, faster and better. He's got some things he needs to improve on. ... He's learning, but he'll be all right. I think he'll be better off for it. We threw him into the fire, and I think he's doing OK.
"The leap from sophomore basketball to varsity basketball is huge," Knigge added. "The leap from eighth grade to varsity is like Grand Canyon."
In short, no excuses: The tallest players listed on Mundelein's roster are Jake Parmley and Spencer Herchenbach, both of whom are listed at 6-3.
Coach Corey Knigge won't use that as an excuse, however.
"Every team we play is bigger than us," Knigge said. "If you're going to be small, that's OK if you're willing to be tougher. If you're willing to take guys where they're not willing to go, and you're willing to compete and play harder than everybody else, then size doesn't matter. You can compensate for that."
Rockin' Rockton: Mundelein will play in Rockton Hononegah's MLK tournament, with a pair of games Saturday and two more Monday.
On Saturday, the Mustangs face Hononegah at 12:30 p.m. and DeKalb at 6:30 p.m. On Monday, Mundelein plays Belleville West at 9:30 a.m. and Normal Community at 3:30 p.m.