Marra emerging as high-major prospect

Word is starting to get out on Mike Marra, 6-foot-5 junior from Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.). The junior is quickly establishing himself as a big time shooter at the New England prep school and the high-majors are starting to seriously take notice.

Marra, a Smithfield, R.I. native, is clearly on his way to the high-major level, his coach John Carroll says. Although he may be a bit under the radar nationally, those days could be changing soon as Northfield Mount Hermon plays in the National Prep Showcase right before Thanksgiving. A national coming party could very well happen.

"East coast wise, his coming out party was over the summer against the New York Panthers when he dropped 45 on them," Carroll said. "I think he'll be a national level, high-level exposure kid after that. He'll score 40-points for us this year. That's never happened for us before. He'll have big, big games. I expect him to have double digit 40-plus games in his career here."

Carroll has no doubts that Marra is on his way to a high-major school.

"He's a high-major, no question about it," Carroll said. "He's 6-5 shooter with NBA three-point range," Carroll, a noted shooter himself while at NMH. "He's really athletic. I've seen him windmill dunk it coming from the baseline and then hit a 25-footer in your eye. I've seen a lot of ball and I was a shooter in my day. I hit 342 threes in college and he's as good of a shooter as I've ever seen."

Louisville, Providence, Florida, West Virginia, Notre Dame, Syracuse, UMass, Rhode Island, George Washington and others have inquired so far this fall.

"Anyone that has come into the gym and seen him has offered," Carroll said. "Louisville was here (last week) and he must have had 35 threes in an hour and a half."

Marra visited Providence and Rhode Island recently. "He plans on more visits in the spring," Carroll said.

A pair of schools have made an early impression on the Northeastern.

"Providence because it is the local school and it is the school he grew up watching. He dreams about playing at the (Dunkin' Donuts Center) and with Louisville, there has been a connection there, too. I think those two jump out with him," Carroll said. "He's wide open. Absolutely wide open."