Freshman guard Marcus Ankney has been a starter for Indiana Wesleyan since the first game this season.
Submitted photo
If anyone knows the rewards of harvesting some of Center Grove’s recent backcourt talent, it’s Indiana Wesleyan coach Greg Tonagel.
Johnson County has been very good to the Wildcats — and vise versa.
It began with Jonny Marlin, an IWU point guard from 2014-16 who helped guide the 2016 squad to an NAIA national championship. Next up was former Wildcat shooting guard Spencer Piercefield, who scored a total of 1,129 points from 2019-23.
Now it’s Marcus Ankney’s turn.
A starter at Indiana Wesleyan since the season opener against Indiana Tech on Oct. 27, Ankney, a 6-foot-3 freshman, isn’t required at this point in his career to be a force offensively — he averages 5.8 points a contest — but he is among the team leaders in steals with 12 heading into today’s home game against IU East.
The Braves are 7-2 and ranked ninth nationally.
Tonagel views Ankney as someone who can fit in as what’s referred to as a 3-and-D player. That means meshing long-range shooting skills with having the desire and work ethic needed to be a lockdown defender at the other end of the floor.
“It started with Jonny, and, honestly, (Center Grove) is a school that plays great competition,” said Tonagel, whose program has claimed three national titles since he took over before the 2005-06 season. “Marcus is as advanced defensively as any player I’ve ever coached.
“The thing you get from Marcus is consistency. He’s very mature. Most freshmen come in, and they think the only way to play is to score. He’s definitely different from (Marlin and Piercefield). They were more offensive-minded.”
Ankney is still no slouch with the ball in his hands, though. He’s coming off of a career-best 15-point effort last weekend against East-West, is 10 of 27 (37%) from long distance this season.
Ankney, the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year in boys basketball after averaging 16.6 points for a Trojans team that finished 22-3, vaguely remembers Marlin and grew up watching Piercefield.
“I trained with Jonny when I was really young, and I do remember a couple of his games in high school,” Ankney said. “Spencer was one of those players I idolized because he could shoot, he could score and he didn’t make many mistakes.”
In June, Ankney spent a few weeks on the Indiana Wesleyan campus to better familiarize himself with new surroundings, coaches and teammates through workouts and scrimmages. It was there, during pickup basketball games with teammates, that he better sensed what needed to be done in order to immediately log minutes as part of Tonagel’s rotation.
Ankney, believing he might be one of the first Wildcats off the bench, was surprised to learn he would start the opener. His defense was the key.
“Coming into the season, the coaches told me that’s how freshmen get on the court,” Ankney said. “At Center Grove, coach (Zach) Hahn did a great job my four years there, and that’s what’s really helped me.
“I definitely felt I was a good defender in high school, but the summer helped me a lot, playing against guys who had experience in college. One of the things I focused on was my defense.”
In time, he’ll be counted on to showcase his offensive skills. But for now, Ankney is right at home.
