Molloy College Men’s Basketball Wins 1st Playoff Game in 13 Years

The Molloy College Men’s basketball team won their first playoff game in 13 years after defeating Queens College 72-62. They defeated them on March 5^th at Molloy’s home court in Rockville Centre, NY. Their last playoff win came back in the 1999-2000 season when they defeated Adelphi University 87-73. As a result, their victory against Queens College made this season that much more special for both the players and the coaches.

Molloy got off to a hot start as they lead the game from the beginning to the end. They fought hard on both ends of the court and managed to hold a double-digit lead for most of the game.

“We played 40 minutes of solid basketball and we finished the job handling our foul shooting and taking care of the basketball. We were ready and focused,” said head coach Charles Marquardt.

Assistant coach Pat Morris added, “We knew the challenge ahead of us and these guys stepped up to meet that challenge.”

It was to clear to see that these players were determined and focused to get this win and move forward. The significance of this win resonated throughout the entire gymnasium, from the players and coaches to the fans in the seats.

Coach Marquardt stated, “It would be impossible not to have great energy with a crowd like that. The crowd put us over the top.”

When asked what this win means for him and the team, senior guard Jimmy Nolan stated, “It means a lot to me especially being a senior to lead some type of legacy like this. We struggled the past two years before this so it’s good to have a nice, refreshing year like this.”

Nolan went on to explain that coach Marquardt, who was awarded Coach of the Year prior to this game, was the team’s motivation behind this win. The team as a whole felt that for all of his hard work over the years that this was well deserved for him.

“This was his 18^th year coaching and he hasn’t won a playoff game in a very long time. It means a lot to us to get that win for him because we all respect him as a coach and we all work hard for him.”

Although Molloy got eliminated by Bridgeport University several days later, they have a bright future ahead after having one of the most memorable seasons in school history.

Nolan stated, “I feel like they’re on a good path right now. They’ve experienced winning and it’ll make them a little more hungry to strive to do better than what happened this year.”