It wouldn’t be a considered a reach to describe Isaiah Marin as unassuming when the 6-foot-4 Buckeye Union High School and Powerhouse Hoops Club guard takes the court before a game. He likely won’t be the first one standing out…until the whistle blows and the ball is tipped.
“He’s really good at changing speeds and directions,” Powerhouse Hoops AAU Director/17U UAA Head Coach Corey Boswell said to Sports360AZ.com. “If he’s hitting his shot you’re in trouble…his confidence is high. He’s been playing great.”
get yo mind right & go get it.. pic.twitter.com/w5WEZKVf0J
— Isaiah Marin (@ZayMarins) July 2, 2018
Confidence is one area where the reserved, respectful Marin has seen growth in himself this summer as he prepares for his senior season at BUHS (he will sit out the first nine games per AIA rules) after transferring in from Copper Canyon a few months ago. As a junior he averaged close to 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and just under three steals per game.
His height allows him the vision to see over a defense, while the combination of Marin’s ball handling and outside shooting make him a matchup problem for defenses, especially in transition.
At first glance it’s easy to see who his raw skill-set has been compared to.
“I’ve actually had many comparisons to Russell Westbrook,” Marin explained to Sports360AZ.com. “I’m more of a pass-first point guard but I feel like getting others involved will open up plays for me. [People] like the way I play.”
Some Division I programs who like the way Marin plays include Air Force, Pacific, Pepperdine, Montana and a handful of others who will be monitoring his every move in the coming months.
Powerhouse Hoops 2019 G @ZayMarins Made the @areacodes Elite 8 Top Prospect List
The Breakout Player of the Event By Far!
Expect a Big Time July for the Silky Smooth Guard#NeverStops@jerrydmullen @GreggRosenberg1 @coach_cboswell @azc_obert @PHHNEVERSTOPS @ArizonaPreps pic.twitter.com/KllrNjI22V— POWERHOUSE HOOPS (@PowerhouseHoops) May 21, 2018
Away from the hardwood he finds balance in opening up a book instead of an opposing defense.
“I like to read a lot,” said Marin, who is currently reading The Carolina Way by the late, iconic Dean Smith. “I like to read books to try to take my mind off basketball when I’m away from the court. I like to read life-helping books and motivational books. I feel like those books help put me in a state of mind where I should be able to excel.”It sure sounds like Isaiah Marin’s state of mind is just fine…and that’s bad news for opposing teams.
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Eric Sorenson
A Valley native, Eric has had a passion for the Arizona sports scene since an early age. He has covered some of the biggest events including Super Bowls, national championships and the NBA and MLB playoffs in his near 20 years in local media.