2019 Marvin Price is ready to put Patterson back on the map
Two seasons ago, the Patterson Clippers were the clear favorite in the 2A Class. When it was all said and done, they were the team hoisting the state championship trophy led by their super sophomore at the time, Marvin Price.…
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Continue ReadingTwo seasons ago, the Patterson Clippers were the clear favorite in the 2A Class. When it was all said and done, they were the team hoisting the state championship trophy led by their super sophomore at the time, Marvin Price.
A year later, Price decided to transfer to Huntington Prep, a powerhouse prep schools that helped breed NBA players such as Andrew Wiggins, O.J. Mayo, Patrick Patterson and Miles Bridges. After being there for just one season, Price decided it was best for him to return back home to Patterson and be the primary option once again.
“It was a good experience,” Price told Prep Hoops. “I liked it a lot. I learned a lot of things there and felt like I really improved my game.”
Price’s return home would be put on hold after suffering a meniscus injury. He was set to play with Team Melo on the EYBL Circuit, but after Price got the news about his injury being worse than he first thought, AAU would be put on the back burner.
“It was hard,” Price said about his time being sidelined. “Especially having to watch everyone else play. At first, they told me I would just be out six weeks or so, but they then saw that my meniscus was torn and I had to get it repaired, so I’d be out six months. But I mean it was still a fun summer with Team Melo supporting them. I was fortunate enough to travel with them throughout the summer, so I wasn’t left out too much.”
The 6-foot-5 wing’s game luckily doesn’t rely strictly off athleticism. With that being the case, he was still able to make some type of impact in fall league play, but conditioning was his biggest obstacle.
“When I first came back in fall league it was hard,” Price said. “Just getting back mentally because I was still scared of re-injuring it, getting my legs back and my conditioning, but my teammates and my coaches had a lot of faith in me and that helped me a lot.”
For Price, so far so good.
The Clippers are 3-0 and Price has been a dominant force from anywhere on the floor. Whether it’s hitting threes, driving to the basket or being a presence at the high-post, Price has been the offensive catalyst this Patterson team desperately needed in the frontcourt. In the three games, Price is averaging 21 points and nine rebounds per game.
“It’s a great feeling to show people that I still got it,” Price said after scoring 27 points in the season opener in just three quarters of action. “It feels good. I just owe it to my team, coaches and parents. I can’t let up. I have to keep attacking and stay aggressive from here on out.”
Price holds offers from Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas A&M, DePaul, Illinois State, George Washington and Georgia Tech, but he told Prep Hoops that Seton Hall has been the school contacting him the most as of late.
Evaluation of Price: As I watch Price return back to his dominant form, I get excited for what the future holds. With him alone being inserted back into the Clippers’ lineup, it makes the team a favorite for the state title. That’s how much he can impact a game. He’s a wing that plays much bigger than his height. When he catches the ball inside, he finishes strong. He crashes the offensive glass aggressively and has a quick second jump after gathering the miss. His three-point shot has looked much improved thus far, which will be a huge addition to his repertoire and make him a handful to guard. Price is a decent on-ball defender, but must get quicker laterally if he wants to guard wings at the mid-major Division I level. His overall quickness is something I’d like to see improve before suiting up for a college program.