By Claire Kowalchik ’P22, Photography by Carlo Accera, Spring 2024
Why does sophomore Marquis Ratcliff play basketball? Because the work ethic required to be as good as he is on the court extends to his academics. “Playing basketball makes me more organized. It makes me a better person,” he says.
“I have the best of both worlds,” adds the first-gen student. “I get to be a student and play the sport that I love.”
The power forward plays his sport very well. As a freshman, he earned the Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year Award and a spot on the Landmark Conference Second Team. Over the first 19 games of the 2023–24 season, he averaged 22 points per game and 9 rebounds; made 55 percent of his field goals and 43 percent of his 3-pointers. For reference, numbers like this on the professional scene would put a player in line to be named an All-Star.
It’s you and the basketball and the free range of mind—you don’t really know what the next step is; you’re playing to play.”
—Marquis Ratcliff ’26
But it took a strong work ethic to propel Ratcliff to this height (BTW, he’s 6’6″). Growing up in Philadelphia, he would regularly go to the park with his brothers and play pickup games. “I wasn’t very good,” Ratcliff says. “I played in a summer rec league, and I got blocked by a girl.”
Embarrassed? Yes. Deterred? No. Ratcliff has been playing basketball seriously since fifth grade.
In sixth grade, his family moved to Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He made the high school team as a freshman, and in his junior year, Nativity BVM won the state championships.
Work ethic aside, seriously, why does Ratcliff love basketball? “It’s fast-paced. So much is happening at once. It’s you and the basketball and the free range of mind—you don’t really know what the next step is; you’re playing to play.”
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