MikeLonergan.com 

BUFFALO, N.Y. – He entered with question marks. He exited with a championship.

Marqus Blakely is arguably the greatest player in Vermont basketball history and one of the best to play in the America East Conference. He won three league Defensive Player of the Year awards, two Kevin Roberson Player of the Year honors, and was the Reggie Lewis Most Outstanding Player of the 2010 America East Tournament.

The polite, gregarious and soft-spoken senior punctuated his outstanding career by leading the Cats to Coach Mike Lonergan’s first Division I conference championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Despite last night’s 79-56 loss to the West region’s top seed, Syracuse, Blakely will always cherish the dreamlike way the curtain dropped on his college playing days.

“Two, three weeks ago, when we lost at Stony Brook, I thought it was the end of the world,” said Blakely, who had 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists and four steals against Syracuse. “Then going down there to Hartford, [Conn.,] and getting two wins, and having [Boston University] knock off Stony Brook in the America East semifinals, gave us the championship game at Patrick Gym. It was amazing. I never really thought that would happen. I thought Senior Night was my last night playing a home game.

“Winning the championship in front of all our fans, that’s something that I’ll appreciate the rest of my life.”

The most decorated basketball player UVM has ever had received his coronation on the home hardwood.

“It was great to see the Vermont fans cheering for BU against Stony Brook, knowing the fact that the only reason they’re cheering for them is that we could come back to Patrick,” Blakely said the day before the Cats secured the America East title.

Blakely was named honorable mention All-American this year and last. He truly appreciates the support Catamount fans have provided him and his teammates during his four-year career.

“I just want to say thank you to all the fans and everyone in Vermont that’s helped me,” he said. “From my freshman year to now, I’ve seen so many places; I’ve met so many different people. To somewhat figure out what Vermont’s all about and to understand that everyone who comes to the game is here for a reason. It’s not like, ‘well, let’s just go see a game.’

“They’re going to be here 10 years down the road. Hopefully I’m coming back here and watching the same games. It’s really been an honor to play for the University of Vermont. It’s a great place.”

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