Men's Basketball

Marial Shayok increases physicality to become a top threat for No. 9 Virginia

Courtesy of the University of Virginia

This season, Marial Shayok's scoring average has more than doubled and he leads his team in his percentage of shots taken when on the floor (30.1), per Kenpom.com.

Marial Shayok said he doesn’t take a single minute on the court for granted. Especially since before this year, he wasn’t getting many.

Despite a rich basketball family, Shayok began his career at Virginia as a minimal contributor. Now, his scoring average has more than doubled and he leads his team in his percentage of shots taken when on the floor (30.1), per Kenpom.com.

“We have gone to a more physical lineup and he has played well,” head coach Tony Bennett said. “Marial has always shown good stretches, but I think he is getting more comfortable and establishing his spot.”

Shayok showcased the difference against Georgia Tech on Jan. 21. Late in the game, Shayok caught a pass at the elbow after skirting an off-ball screen. He busted through the defense, absorbed a whack on the arm and laid the ball in off the glass for an and-1. Shayok walked calmly to the charity stripe while the Cavaliers home crowd applauded him for totaling a new career-high in points (19).

Shayok has always exhibited that composure on the court. His quiet but aggressive style has him in the middle of his most successful season yet. Shayok averages a career high in both points (10.1) and minutes (21.1) per game and has become an essential piece of the No. 9 Virginia (17-4, 7-2 Atlantic Coast) team that visits the Carrier Dome this Saturday at noon.



“He’s always been a scorer,” teammate Devon Hall said. “I think him being patient … (and) letting the game come to him, I think that really changed for him this year.”

It’s another development in a game that the Virginia guard has spent his life honing. His father Markur, sister Yar and brother Shayok Shayok all played basketball at the collegiate level. Marial Shayok watched his four older siblings play outside and gravitated to the sport. He eventually joined their daily games.

Shayok grew up in Ottawa, Canada, though his father comes from Khartoum, Sudan. There, Markur belonged to the Dinka tribe responsible for NBA players Manute Bol and Luol Deng. Markur moved to the United States in 1986 to play basketball, fleeing Sudanese civil unrest and seeking a better life for his family. Shayok has never visited his parent’s home country, but he feels at peace with that.

“I just try to rep family as best as I can,” Shayok said. “Everything I do is a testament to them.”

This season, Shayok is doing just that. Bennett praised Shayok for his offensive consistency. The guard has become just one of the weapons in Virginia’s armory. He ranks third in points per game behind London Perrantes (12) and Austin Nichols (11). That’s a direct product of his increased physicality enabling him to attack the rim more often.

Early in the first half against then-No. 1 Villanova, Shayok received a pass at the three-point line with only one defender between him and the rim. He put his head down and barreled toward the defender. A lowered shoulder knocked the defender to the ground before Shayok rose up and hit the floater. He left the celebration up to teammate Isaiah Wilkins while he strode to the line to finish his and-1.

“Marial is wired to score,” Bennet said. “I am so happy to see him playing at this level and we will need it to continue.”

This Saturday, Shayok will see some familiar faces in a sea of Orange as he goes to work. His parents usually watch every game on television, but now will make the two-hour drive from their home in Canada to visit the Dome.

On the court, Shayok doesn’t feel obligated to follow in the footsteps of his family. He treats that notion with the same demeanor he’s had his whole career.

“Definitely no pressure,” Shayok said. “… They instilled confidence in me. You just try to play free.”





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