On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, Pennsbury senior Mark Flagg was recognized for signing a letter of intent to continue his basketball career at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Mark Flagg – St. Francis University (Basketball)
Major: Undecided
Final list of colleges: Saint Francis (Pa.), Delaware, West Chester, East Stroudsburg, Holy Family, Stony Brook
Reasons for choosing St. Francis: “I visited St. Francis, and the coaching staff was just amazing. They showed a lot of love for me, and when I visited, it just clicked right away. I’m a Catholic boy as well, and it’s a Catholic school. It’s just going to be a great place for me.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in basketball at the collegiate level? “When I came into high school, I had no thoughts that I could be a Division One basketball player. I started growing more and more, and by the end of my sophomore year, I was probably 6-6. I got into a great AAU program called the Jersey Shore Warriors. Ever since I got on that team, my confidence went up, and I just started getting better. Coach G (Gary Jones) and coach Coleman started training me all the time, working me, and I just kept growing from there. They made my skill work better, so I ended up doing what I dreamed of.”
Coach Bill Coleman says: “Mark has been in the program for four years. When you first saw him, you would never have thought we’d be coming to this day. He was a 6-3, skinny 120-pound kid. Obviously, he’s grown into the frame he has now. He’s almost 6-9, and he’s a Division One basketball player. His progress has been good to see over the four years.
“The way we develop players internally – regardless how big you are, you’re being treated the same. We don’t say, ‘You’re a center.’ We don’t say, ‘You’re a point guard.’ We give everyone the opportunity to play and teach them the same skill set, so that’s what made Mark good. He could put the ball on the floor, he could shoot, he could post up, he could handle the ball when we needed him to. He led the team in assists this year. He did everything for us.”
Assistant coach Gary Jones says: “I have known Mark since he was seven years old. Mark’s come a long, long way. He decided to be a basketball player, and his hard work paid off for him. He got a full scholarship and is able to play at the highest level possible. I’m really proud of Mark. It’s not easy to do.”
About Mark:
Favorite food: Pizza & Crab
Favorite movie: Like Mike
Favorite music: Drake & PnB Rock
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