CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Don’t let his small stature fool you, Marquis Clayton can play and it’s why the Island Storm is thinking big by inking him to a contract.
The five-foot-nine point guard never shied away from a court filled with taller players. Rather he relished the opportunity to compete against them and it only made him better.
“I’ve been playing against bigger guys my entire life, so I just learned to be better at different things that would help me stay effective,” he said. “As a small guard you need to be able to shoot the ball, especially a mid-range pull-up because of all the screens we come off.”
In 2011-12, Clayton made an immediate impact on the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) stage as a member of the St. FX X-Men, playing his way to the conference all-rookie team. Yet the fit between the two didn’t work out, as the Halifax native decided to transfer to Saint Mary’s the following year, where he played for the Huskies from 2013-17.
Under Huskies head coach Jonah Taussig, Clayton flourished as their lead guard – capturing an AUS championship in 2013-14 and earning two all-star nods. In his final season with the club, Clayton averaged a career-high 19 points on 43.9 per cent shooting (40.7 from beyond the arc), while dishing out 3.9 assists per game.
“Playing for Saint Mary’s gave me the ultimate confidence because coach Taussig allowed me to become the player I knew I could be,” the 26-year-old said. “He gave everyone a lot of freedom, but at the same time you needed to follow his offensive and defensive principles.”
Clayton’s reputation as a crafty guard, who’s not afraid to mix it up with the big guys, earned him a spot on the Moncton Magic’s roster last season, where he put up 3.7 points a game in 10 minutes of action. Now he’s hoping to build off that experience in his second season as a professional.
“It was a great experience. I got to pick the older guys’ brains who have been pros from all over the world. The biggest thing they would tell me was to be patient. I wasn’t able to come in a play 30 minutes like I did at Saint Mary’s, it was all about waiting for my number to be called and taking advantage of it.”
Head coach Tim Kendrick’s familiarity with Clayton was a big draw when considering his roster options. Clayton played for Kendrick on Nova Scotia’s 2009 Canada Games squad, which included Storm teammate Tyler Scott, that finished second in Summerside.
“Marquis was an integral piece of our Canada Games silver medal and was a standout at Saint Mary’s,” Kendrick said. “He’s a skilled competitor with deep range on his jump shot and we’re excited to add him to our roster.”
Clayton shares similar sentiments as he looks ahead to his future on the Island, playing in front of a passionate fan base who’ll embrace him.
“It was a no-brainer for me. I’ve been to P.E.I. many times throughout my university career and to be able to see the fan base firsthand and the support they give their teams. It was something I wanted to be part of.”
Clayton is the ninth player the team has announced as it prepares for training camp. He is the fourth Canadian and teams are required to have five on their rosters. The Storm’s eighth season is set to tip-off at Eastlink Centre in mid-November.
– Compiled by Thomas Becker for Island Storm.
Training camp invitees
A look at the players the Island Storm has signed for its training camp. Teams can have a 12-player roster, including five Canadians, for the season.
G Jarrell Tate
G Tyler Scott*
F Dominic Shuler
F Sampson Carter
G Robbie Robinson
F Russell Byrd
G Daniel Gordon*
F Kyle Arsenault*
* Denotes Canadians
