Will County Gazette

Loyola Ramblers' star Marques Townes has been named to the Dominican Republic national team that will be competing in the 23rd Central American and Caribbean Games.

A 6-foot-4 senior swingman, Townes will soon be jetting off for the July 29 games after a week of training with his team in the Dominican Republic.

“I get a chance to compete for a medal,” Townes told the Chicago Tribune. “It’s something I’ve never done before, which is cool. Just the experience of getting to play with professionals. Those guys have a high IQ for the game. Maybe I can (learn something to) bring back (to Loyola).”

After being instrumental in leading the Ramblers to the school’s first Final Four appearance in decades, Townes caught the eye of Illinois assistant coach Orlando Antigua, who reached out to him about the opportunity.

Townes finished his last season with the Ramblers as the team’s second-highest scorer (11.1 points per game) and is expected to take on an even bigger role next season. His highlight moment for the season came when he swished a 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds remaining in a 69-68 victory over Nevada in the Sweet 16, marking the third straight game Loyola prevailed on a late-game basket.

Neither he nor his teammates plan to rest on their laurels going forward, Townes said.

“Our mindset is the same as last year,” he said. “We’re not letting anything distract us.”

Townes is originally from New Jersey, but his mother immigrated to the United States with her family when she was a child.

The Central American and Caribbean Games will be held in Barranquilla, Colombia.