For prep recruit, mother knows best

Steve Carp

Friday, Oct. 24, 1997 | 11:06 a.m.

Most mothers are a bit reluctant to let their sons leave home to go to school in Las Vegas. But Elaine Marion isn't like most mothers.

She came to town last weekend with her son, Shawn, the nation's best junior college player, and she liked what she saw.

She liked Bill Bayno and the way he runs his UNLV basketball program. She liked Bayno's players, and how they enjoy themselves on the court. She liked the UNLV campus and she liked Las Vegas' diversity and warm climate.

She liked it so much, that she told her son she would like him to attend UNLV. Marion liked it a lot himself, so it wasn't that hard a sell.

So Marion, the 6-foot-7 forward from Vincennes (Ind.) University who verbally committed to the Rebels Wednesday, will sign in November and not in April as first thought.

"My mom wants me to sign now and I want to make her happy, so I guess I'm going to sign early," he said. "I don't want her mad at me."

Marion initially said he wouldn't sign until the spring and several schools which had been recruiting him heavily backed off, thinking time was on their side.

Instead, UNLV kept up its pursuit with assistant Glynn Cyprien as the point man.

The Rebels' tenacity paid off. Marion's visit last weekend was his first and ultimately, his last.

Marion, who averaged 23.2 points a game last year and is a JC All-American, chose UNLV over Kentucky, Kansas, Cincinnati, Southern Cal and Arizona.

"We talked about it all the way home and we decided the other day that I was going to Vegas," he said. "I really like the environment. It's a fast-growing city and the (UNLV) campus reminds me of V.U."

Marion said his trust in Bayno and the staff as well as the friendliness of the UNLV players convinced him he was doing the right thing.

"It feels right," he said. "Coach Bayno knows how to get his players to the next level and I could see the guys really like playing for him."

And if Marion has a great sophomore year at Vincennes and decides to bypass college for the NBA?

"We talked about it and Coach Bayno is cool with it," he said. "He won't stand in my way. But that's a long ways down the road. I'm just looking to focus on this season and have a great year at V.U."

Vincennes coach Dan Sparks said Marion's all-around game makes him a coveted player for any coach.

"He has a nice outside shot. He can take it to the hole and finish. He's a tremendous defensive player," Sparks said. "There isn't much Shawn can't do on a basketball court.

"But on top of that, he's a tremendous kid. Billy won't have any trouble with him. He's going to graduate on time and he's a good student."

Marion, who is the third member of UNLV's 1998 recruiting class, said the recruiting process didn't wear him out that much. But he's glad it's over with just the same.

"At first, the calling bothered me some, but after a while, you get used to it," he said. "Lately, there haven't been a lot of calls."

And from now on, the only calls likely to be coming to Marion's dorm will be from Las Vegas.

Hoop du jour

* FAN JAM SUNDAY: The first opportunity for UNLV fans to see the team is Sunday at 7:30 p.m. when the "Fan Jam" is held at the Thomas & Mack Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and admission is free to the workout, which will include the annual Scarlet-Gray scrimmage, a 3-point contest and a slam dunk competition. Following the scrimmage, the team will hold an autograph session for fans. For more information, call 895-UNLV.

* RECRUIT VISITS: On the heels of Shawn Marion's visit to Las Vegas last week, another prized recruit, Chris Richardson, is scheduled to visit UNLV today. Richardson, a 6-foot-8 forward from Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi, Texas, is considered one of the Lone Star State's top prep prospects.