By Ryan Deal

605 Sports

Marshall’s leadership was recently recognized by receiving the Jimmy Plooster Award, an honor that recognizes a senior White River boys basketball player who demonstrates commitment and leadership.

Marshall developed his leadership skills behind former all-staters Joe Sayler and his older brother Dylan Marshall.

“They set the foundation for me,” Marshall said. “I was able to learn under them. I wasn’t really a scorer until this year and last year, but they kind of made me that way and I have been in the gym with both of them and I learned a lot from them.”

For Eldon, it’s not a surprise to see Nic develop into a leader and an impactful player on the court. Eldon recalls Nic always by his brother and Sayler’s side as they all emerged into key Tigers. 

“He’s really grown up and improved,” Eldon said. “That’s because he’s put in the work and the effort and commitment. He’s reaping the rewards right now, but he will be the first to tell you we’ve got a long way to go yet.”

White River's Nic Marshall (1) celebrates a made basket against Canistota on Feb. 10 at the Corn Palace. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Last season, Nic took on an increased scoring role after Dylan graduated in 2022. He answered the call and averaged 17.8 points per game, earning Class B all-state third-team honors. 

Marshall has upped his scoring this season and recently recorded his 1,000th career point. He’s coming off a 25-point performance against Canistota, finishing 8 of 16 from the field and 8 of 12 from the free-throw line. 

He’s also added facilitator to his repertoire as opposing defense’s key on him. 

“Last year, I got triangled and two a lot because Joe was there and this year I am getting boxed and one,” Marshall said. “I am learning how to trust my teammates more and get them open and impact the game in different ways.”

Offensively, Marshall has attacked the rim more in recent years. As a younger player, Marshall relied heavily on shooting 3-pointers “ because I was so small and tiny,” and he’s worked on getting stronger. 

Marshall now does a bulk of his damage driving to the hoop.  

“He’s really taken that upon himself to get better at that,” Eldon said. “He thrives at it now. He’s able to skip and hop and get into the lane and make things happen.”

The Tigers (16-2) are again making a push for the Class B boys basketball tournament in March. They will face New Underwood on Feb. 16 and Lakota Tech on Feb. 23 before turning their attention to the postseason. 

“We have been playing well,” said Nic Marshall, who intends on playing college basketball. “We have been working on our defense and trying to get our offense clicking. But we still have a lot of work to do, and we know we do. But we are going to keep getting better and hopefully have a long run in March.”

As for Eldon, he’s enjoying another ride with his son as March inches closer. 

“I am just trying to enjoy it,” Eldon said. “That’s one thing I’ve learned is you have to try to enjoy it. I am grateful to be able to coach him along with his teammates.”