Marquette Senior High School senior center Marius Grazulis (center) signs his National Letter of Intent to continue his academic and basketball careers at Grand Valley State University. Grazulis was joined by his parents Sheila (left) and Marius Sr. (right), and Redmen head coach Brad Nelson (not pictured) in a ceremony at MSHS Monday afternoon. (Journal photo by Ryan Spitza)

MARQUETTE — Marius Grazulis will continue his academic and basketball careers at Grand Valley State University next fall.

The 6-foot-10 senior center for Marquette Senior High School signed his National Letter of Intent Monday afternoon in a ceremony at the MSHS Barb Crill Gymnasium with head coach Brad Nelson, athletic director Alex Tiseo, Grazulis’ parents and his Redmen teammates on hand.

Grazulis, an All-Great Northern Conference First Team selection and UPSSA All-U.P. Dream Team selection last season chose to take his talents to Allendale because of the culture of the school and Lakers basketball.

“I feel like it’s a great school,” he said. “It’s a great environment with great teammates and coaches. I think it was the right place for me.

“I went down and played with the guys during a campus visit and that just really set it up for me. The whole school is so new, so modern and the lifestyle around the campus is great. I think it’s great for me as a person.”

Grazulis is the third sibling to come through the family ranks, with older brothers A.J. and Vejas also playing under Coach Nelson at MSHS over the years.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I’m trying to be the best I can be and carry on my family’s legacy hopefully as far as I can go. It’s really cool to see a basketball family come this far from my dad all the way down to the youngest. I’m trying to continue that legacy as best I can.”

Despite the excitement of signing an NLI and getting ready to take a leap to the next level, Grazulis made it clear he wants to make a deep run with the Redmen in his final season.

“I definitely want to get as far as we can in the tournament, that’s our main goal,” he said. “With our schedule, we’re playing a lot of tougher teams this season trying to get prepared for March and trying to get as far as we can get.”

Grazulis added MSHS and the surrounding community has meant everything to him in his four years at the school.

“It’s a great school and a great community,” he said. “The student body comes out and supports every night we’re out here. That’s a really big part and I couldn’t thank them more.”

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.