Vince Marrow with Lincoln County athletics director when Marrow came to Lincoln County to watch Lexington Catholic play
Vince Marrow spends a lot of time recruiting for the Kentucky football team but if you are a Lexington Catholic boys basketball game the rest of this year or the next two seasons odds are you might see the UK associate head coach there. His brother’s grandson, 6-8 John McCrear, is now living with Marrow and played his first game for Catholic last week at Lincoln County. McCrear transferred from Ypsi Prep Academy in Michigan where he played with Emoni Bates, the No. 1 rated player in the 2022 recruiting class.
Marrow’s daughter, Yanna, attended Lexington Catholic but an endorsement from former UK assistant basketball coach Kenny Payne helped seal the deal. Payne’s son, Zan, played at Catholic for coach Brandon Salsman.
“Kenny just told me it was a great school and a great place to play basketball,” Marrow said. “I respect what he says a lot. At Lexington Catholic, he will be more than just a basketball player and will have a chance to grow as a young man.
Marrow likes the potential McCrear has and expects him to keep growing. Marrow has coaches calling him already wanting McCrear on their summer teams.
“It’s kind of different for me to have coaches sort of recruiting me,” Marrow laughed and said. “We were actually going to make this move with him last year but as a family, we decided now was the time to do it.
“He loves being in the Big Blue Nation. I am really excited about his future and what he will be doing.”
In his first three games, McCrear has averaged 5.0 points (he’s shooting 60 percent from the field) and 4.7 rebounds per game.
