JUCO choice pans out for Lassiter

When Marcio Lassiter talks about what might have been, he doesn't hesitate to consider the choice he made in attending City College of San Francisco out of high school. A four-year varsity basketball player at George Washington High School in San Francisco, three of which he was all-league, Lassiter was set to go to the University of San Francisco on an academic scholarship and walk-on the basketball team.

"No one was recruiting me out of high school, as in high school, I was playing the 4 or 5 position," said Lassiter.

He had to play a secondary role to Jeremy Francis, Washington's star point-guard who was the league MVP during Lassiter's senior season in 2005. In addition, at 6-foot-2, playing power forward at the next level is a reach. However, Lassiter was skilled at shooting the basketball and USF along with some of the other local junior colleges knew this.

Then USF assistant coach Phil Doherty (current boys varsity assistant coach at Sacred Heart Cathedral) recalls a three-hour sit-down with Lassiter talking about basketball and his goals.

"Marcio had an academic scholarship to USF," said Doherty. "I told him we would love to have him as a walk-on. But I also asked him and his mother, that at the end of the day, if her son wanted to play basketball in college and he did not make our team, would he stay and be happy going to USF."

Miami University transfer Armondo Surratt was waiting in the wings and the Dons had just signed another guard in Burlingame High standout Drew Shiller, so after thinking it over, Lassiter decided he wanted to try the junior college route. After looking over his options, he enrolled at City College of San Francisco due to its proximity and the fact that CCSF had been recruiting him the hardest.

"No one really knew about me except for City College," continued Lassiter. "So I decided to go there."

Adam Daquisto, an assistant basketball coach at CCSF was very familiar with Lassiter. He remembered seeing Lassiter as a younger kid in the Sunset at various gyms and basketball workouts. During Lassiter's senior year, he began recruiting him heavily, sending him letters and showing up to many of his games.

"I went to his games at Washington and he was not featured as much as he should have," said Daquisto. "But I knew he was a great shooter. He came up to a City college workout and started shooting and working out with the team."

Lassiter committed to City College just after his high school basketball season ended. His early commitment gave him an edge over other players and helped him earn a starting spot on the team as a freshman, averaging 12 points a game. His first year in college, CCSF made it to the Elite 8 tournament and the final four of the California Junior College basketball tournament.

"In the elite 8 tournament against LA City College, he hit four 3-pointers and he ended up with 18 points," continued Dacquisto. "This proved this guy can go. His college recruitment blew up, after this."

City College made it to the state final four before losing to West Valley. However, with his solid play, Lassiter was being courted by several four-year schools.

"I got a couple of calls and basketball scholarship offers from UC Santa Barbara, Montana State, Cal State Fullerton, Wyoming and a few other schools," continued Lassiter. "But I decided to commit to Cal State Fullerton, because I like the school, the team and how they play. They like to run, and they are guard orientated, which is one of my strengths."

Lassiter is now in his second season at City College, in good academic standing and on track to graduate and start attending Fullerton in the summer. However, he has some unfinished business. Lassiter is averaging 14 points a game for a City College team ranked No. 5 in the state with a 23-5 record and a 7-2 record in the Coast Conference North Division.

The former prep who nobody wanted is one of the keys for a very talented City College basketball team, looking to get back to the state's final four tournament and win the junior college state basketball championship this year.

"Marcio brings consistency for our team," said Justin Labagh, head coach of City College of San Francisco. "He might have a bad shooting game, but he is always ready to play. He has a basketball sense that realizes that shooting is just one part of the game. He is averaging five rebounds a game. He is a complete player and his play will be crucial for us down the stretch the rest of the year."

Lassiter would have been at USF if not for the thought of possibly not playing. Now, he is at City College, with a basketball scholarship in hand, and a lot of college basketball left this season and the next two years.

"I am glad I went to CCSF," continued Lassiter. "It has paid off for me, because I got to do something that I wanted to do, which was get a good education and play ball. Everything that I have done, I have worked hard at it. Not many people felt that I would get to where I am, but I believed it was going to happen."