The noise from rowdy fans was deafening as the basketball team neared the end of the first half against dreaded rival Flower Mound.
A missed Marauder shot ricocheted back to the floor; trouble seemed imminent for Marcus. Flower Mound had just cut the lead to six which was at risk of disappearing if things didn’t change soon for the Marauders.
That was until junior forward Luke Susko soared into the paint and threw down a ferocious, put-back dunk to steal back any momentum the Jaguars gained.
Susko’s dunk would spark a six point individual scoring run, propelling the Marauders to a convincing win over their rivals.
This game would serve as just a snapshot of Susko’s ability to take over a game at moments notice. Susko’s performances would be so impactful that by the summer he would be getting offered before his junior season even began.
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Before Susko was punishing backboards, his evenings were spent trying to score on his older brother in their driveway.
“Watching my older brother play, I really just fell in love with the game,” Susko said. “As I continued to grow older, it really separated itself from other sports that I played, just as the one that I love.”
As time passed, the concrete of the family driveway would transition into the hardwood of the Marcus Athletic Center.
Coming into his freshman year, Susko was able to do what most freshmen historically cannot – make the varsity roster. The role was met with challenges, though.
“Growing up, I played some big just because I was always tall growing up, but as I got older, I had to transition to more of a guard,” Susko said. “Playing on varsity, especially, I wasn’t the tallest one anymore, so I had to keep developing and changing my skill sets more.”
Susko had to fight tooth and nail for minutes early in the season. As he appeared in more games his performance in each steadily improved. Susko impressed coaches by his knowledge of the game and his impact as a teammate even while not on the court. By the end of the season, Susko carved out a role as a key contributor coming off the bench.
Susko’s skill on the court continued to improve as a sophomore, as well as his bond with his teammates.
“I think my confidence on the court, knowing that I can trust my teammates, I grew in that aspect,” Susko said. “Every time we step on the floor together and every time we hang out, we’re just continuing to grow a bond that will help us on the court and keep relationships off the court, hopefully through life.”
As the season progressed the team also continued to grow closer, and their play on the court improved. The Marauders finished the season with a 24-8 record, doubling their previous season’s win total. This took them to a playoff showdown against the McKinney Lions.
The Lions had a record of 25-9 this season, and they were on a nine-game winning streak. Both teams were evenly matched. For the week prior the entire team had one thing on their minds, beat Mckinney. Every practice, every rep had this idea at the forefront as the team was hungry for a chance to perform on the big stage. Going into the game, nerves and excitement filled the locker room. This was the majority of the teams first playoff game.
This being Susko’s first playoff game, tensions were high. Early in the game, Susko hit a three-point shot, stretching their lead to seven, but McKinney continued fighting back, closing the first half trailing 31-30.
The Lions continued to put the pressure on as they jumped to a 10-point lead. Despite the Marauders’ best efforts behind Susko’s 17 points, the lead was too much to overcome. The Marauders lost 64-56.
Although the loss stung, it was a valuable experience for Susko and the rest of the team.
“Last season, my favorite memory was the week leading up to our playoff game,” Susko said. “Even though we lost, it was a great experience, and I feel like we really got close to the team.”
After the season Susko continued to play basketball with his travel team in tournaments across the nation for his tournament team, where he continued his dominance winning tournament MVPs and stuffing the stat sheet. It was at these tournaments that Susko caught the attention of college scouts. On the first day of early recruiting for college basketball Susko got an unexpected call. It was from the University of California, Berkeley offering a basketball scholarship.
“I knew I put in the work, but I was just being patient and waiting until I got the opportunity,” Susko said. “I thank the people that helped me all the way through the process and will continue to help me continue to just grow.”
This upcoming season will be Susko’s third with the Marauders as he hopes to help bring home their first state championship since 2012.
“We want to go as far as possible, and the goal is to win district and win state,” Susko said. “It’s not easy, but if we work hard, it’s definitely possible.”
