This past summer, one of the surprises on the club circuit was the play of Marcus Wells, a 6-foot senior with the Bay Area Warriors. The feisty point guard from Lick Wilmerding in San Francisco (Calif.) helped lead the Warriors to a 36-12 record and several tournament top finishes.

"Marcus is a winner at the point guard spot," said Randy Bessolo, founder and coach of the Bay Area Warriors. "He is a point guard that can score and who is very efficient with the ball. He makes things happen on the court."

Wells was the primary ball-handler on a Warriors team that featured 7-foot-2 post Greg Somigyi, a UCSB commit, Vince Legarza (Miami-Ohio) and Reggie Wilhite (Yale).

"Even though we had a lot of size, we played at a fast pace and I had a lot of freedom on the court to make plays," said Wells. "One of the highlights I had on that team is when we beat a very good Branch West Reebok in the Las Vegas Spring Classic, as I had 12 points and threw several assists and helped the team win."

Wells is an athletic pass first quarterback, with a solid stroke and a good feel for the game. He is a crafty guard who is good at controlling tempo and breaking defenders down off the dribble where he can create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates.

"I like to pattern my game after Chris Paul when I am distributing the basketball, but when I am scoring I try to pattern myself after Chauncey Billups."

Lick Wilmerding is a small division V school that plays in the BCL West league. Wells has been the primary option for the Tigers and a starter at the school since he was a freshman.

"Marcus is probably the best basketball player we have every had at this school," said Elliott Smith, head basketball coach at Lick Wilmerding. "He is a player that has a nice mid-range jumper that is good from 17 feet in. He is always under control on the court and he plays with mental, physical and emotional balance, which is something a lot of top players can't do all the time."

This year, Wells has given up his primary ball-handling duties to play shooting guard.

"I am playing more off guard this year, because we have a solid point guard," continued Wells. "It is better to have more ball-handlers on the court and we really have more of a two guard offense, even though my natural position is point guard."

Smith says that Wells' sacrifice for the team is something that separates him from others.

"He is such a great role model on and off the court," continued Smith. "He is also willing to listen and learn and he is always looking to get better. He is a coach's dream."

A solid student with a 3.5 grade point average and a SAT score of 1870, Wells has heard from a variety of Division I schools such as Weber State, Columbia, Brown, Seattle and Cal State Northridge. However, none of the schools have pulled the trigger, so he is set to play this season out and hopes an offer surfaces in the spring.

In Wells' last game against Berean Christian, he erupted for 31 points, helping the Tigers to a 2-0 start going into the Lick Wilmerding Tournament, which begins this weekend.

As his senior year progresses, Wells is hoping to continue his stellar play and help to lead the Tigers to a BCL title and a shot at the division V title in the North Coast Section.

"Last year, I was the MVP of the league. This year, I am counting on doing the same and leading my team to a high seed in the North Coast Section and hopefully a shot at Branson."