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Assigned Reading: Roy Marble’s fight against cancer

Roy Marble

Roy Marble

AP

Over the last four seasons Roy Devyn Marble was a mainstay on the Iowa basketball team, averaging 12.5 points, 3.4. rebounds and 2.9 assists per game for his career in Iowa City. Marble was following in the footsteps of his father Roy, who after playing four seasons at the school from 1985-89 left as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer.

In August the elder Marble was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, with the illness beginning in his lungs and spreading to other parts of his body. As a result Marble made the decision to move from Cedar Rapids, Iowa back to his hometown of Lansing, Michigan, and his youngest son Carlo went along with him. Carlo’s well on his way to being the next member of the family to head off to college, with schools recruiting him for both basketball and football.

He’s now attending Sexton HS where he plays basketball for head coach Carlton Valentine (his son Denzel currently plays basketball at Michigan State). Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal wrote a story on Marble’s move back to Lansing, and Carlton Valentine’s words regarding his relationship with Marble stood out.

“He called me to see how I was doing,” Carlton said. “I said, ‘You called me to see how I’m doing? How are you doing, man?’ He called to check on me. That’s crazy. Anytime he calls or texts, I’m nervous.

“He told me, ‘I trust you with my son.’ What else are you going to say? That’s a dying man saying he trusts you with his son.”


The full story can be read here.

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