Marcaccini Trudges Along Path of Recovery

Gianandrea Marcaccini longs for a reunion in Europe with his two brothers, ideally on the same basketball court with the same professional team.

But for now, Marcaccini, a sophomore wing for Valley College, would settle for a return to form.

Five weeks have passed since Marcaccini took a hard fall while driving for a basket and suffered a severely sprained back that sidelined him for four games.

Before being injured during the Desert tournament, Marcaccini had lost and subsequently regained his starting position. Since his return two weeks ago, he has played sparingly and with much trepidation.

“Right now is the first time I feel I’m at 100% and not afraid to crash the boards,” Marcaccini said. “It’s taken awhile to get back in the swing of things and get that confidence back. When I see people banging bodies on television, I still feel that pain.”

Marcaccini, 6 feet 4 and 190 pounds, figures to play an increased role tonight when the Monarchs play host to Bakersfield in a crucial Western State Conference South Division game.

“It’s been quite a process, as much emotional as physical,” Valley Coach Doug Michelson said of Marcaccini’s recovery. “But I think he’s turned the corner. He’s a hard-charging player. That’s his style.”

Forging an identity hasn’t been easy for Marcaccini, considering his bloodlines.

His brothers, Giancarlo Jr. and Monte, both were standouts at Notre Dame High and have played in Europe. Both played on a junior club team in Italy, where Gianandrea was born and the family maintains a residence.

Giancarlo, who goes by G.C., is playing professionally in France. Monte, who led Notre Dame to the Southern Section Division III-A championship in 1993 and was selected The Times’ Valley player of the year, is in his junior year at Virginia after playing at Pepperdine as a freshman.

G.C. and Monte, both 6-5, developed into high-scoring players while their younger brother excelled in tennis.

Gianandrea, a highly ranked junior player, spent a year living with his grandparents in Santa Barbara, contributing to a Southern Section Division I tennis championship for Santa Barbara High.

Marcaccini’s tennis career ended because of an elbow problem that required surgery. He returned to Notre Dame but was cut from the basketball team by former Coach Pete Cassidy, who cited a difference in philosophy.

Gianandrea, who said he remains puzzled as to why he was cut, transferred to Crespi, where he immediately made an impact.

“It was difficult for him,” Monte said. “Six or seven years of work playing tennis down the drain.

“But I don’t think it was that difficult a transition for him. Even though he didn’t play on a team when he was younger, we were always playing at the park. He is probably the best athlete out of all three of us. The last time we played one-on-one, he beat me, 9-0.”

Marcaccini is a co-captain and among the most popular players at Valley. Easygoing by all accounts, Marcaccini bristles a bit at the commonly held suggestion that his brothers’ talents are greater than his own.

“People always ask me that, but I don’t think anyone’s better than anyone,” he said. “We beat each other day in and day out. I don’t think there is one who’s distinctly better or sets himself apart.”

Michelson describes Marcaccini as “a classic late bloomer,” still developing his on-court awareness. Though his role is that of a physical player, Marcaccini has displayed flashes of firepower. He scored 30 points against West L.A. in the season finale last year.

“He’s going to make somebody very happy at a four-year school,” Michelson said.

Marcaccini has received little interest from four-year schools. “But I know something will happen for me,” he said.

Ultimately, Marcaccini, born in Rome and the only one among his brothers who hails from Europe, intends to head overseas, hopefully as a basketball player.

Monte said he intends to pursue a professional playing career in Europe after college. Gianandrea would like to follow.

“I would love for me and my brothers to get our own team, start a franchise,” Marcaccini said with a laugh. “That’s what I’m shooting for.”