2004

- Mann Tapped For ECCC_ _

told him I was leaving Mis– sissippi State and wanted to come to East Central. He was elated and told me he would probably heal a lot faster after hearing m) news. Attending East Cen– tral was the best choice I could ha\e made:· Mann remarked. Coach Cooper, who led the \\ amors from 1991-98 and has si nee served in the same capac– Ityat Itawamba Communit\ College in Fulton, had a big smile on his face when he recalled Mann· s telephone call, which Indeed came when he was not feel ng very well: "'Three days ._f– ter school started. J wa~ home in bed \\lth a kidney s tone, wh ich as another story! Anyhow, the phone rang and Jennifer (Mart) 's wife ) answered it and I could hear her telling tht person on the o ther end tha· I was s ick and unable to talk with anyone. She com– mented that the person she was talking to sounded likt a basketball player. so I tole

He helped lead East Cen– tra l Community College to It~ lirst sta te championship m men \ basketball in 40 yea rs and earned AII – Ameiican honors in the pro– ce:.s. He was a lso a mem– ~r ofchampionship squads n high s chool and on the univers ity level, and was a 1 •p dra ft choice in the Na- 1 nal Basketball Associa– IJ"~n. Marcus Mann is re– ~!,.ded as one the best bas- ett~JII players to ever wear a .\ arrior uniform, and on I t: •emh anni,·ersaryofhis :~dua tton at East Central , he 1 being inducted into the C liege ·s Athletic Hall of Fame dunng Homecoming c. actt\ ities scheduled Satur– ~ dil) . October 9 on the De- tate\\ ar- nors to de,·o te h is life to ministering to young people, made the following com– - ment re~'

that much ofme. East Cen– tral has played a vital role in my life, and is a school I will a lways love no matte r where I am." Mann, who towered above high school players with his 6-6, 225- pound frame , led outh Leake to the State Class 2A title and a 34-3 record. He was named an hono rable mention All-American and received All-State honors for three consecutive years. He could play small for– ward, power forwa rd or center, and was one of the state ' s most high ly re– cruited players. He decided to join Coach Richard Wil– liams' team at Mississippi State University, but after a week on the Starkville campus. he c hanged hi s - dec "'" ECCe \ian) Cooper "ould soon appreciate ...Signing with M ississippi State was a choice I made to satisfy people because they thought that was ~here I should go. Coach Cooper called me the day I signed with State and told me if things did not work out, that

her to let me talk to him. I was a player all righ~ it wa~ Marcus Mann! He told m he was not happy at Sta te and wanted to know if J s ti II had a spot available for ham I quickly replied that J did have a scholarship for him an d that we were very happy he was joining our team. Two hours later I passed the kidney stone and the rest is hi s to r y - ----- - - - – p,· .__,_, ·"'e ._c c31 CRAT ---- --- c\ er ma...c "as to.. n2r3tl. late Ma rcus whe~ h Cl signed with State and tol ------- - him we would always b here for him if he wantec =R to come to EC." Coope- - - ----- –

recalled he bad watche< Mann p lay numerou games at South Leake an< knew he would be a much-