Mineola Graduate Becomes First College Hoop Starter in Nearly 50 Years

The following article was submitted by Tom Winters.

In late February, 2008, T.J. Gessner was on the precipice of a dream.

A 3 year starter as point guard at , Gessner was at the helm of potentially the biggest upset in the history of Mustang basketball.

Playing for Mineola was to be a “George Mason/Butler-like” underdog as the No. 15 seed to the No. 2 seed and perennial County title contender from .

In an electrically charged Cyclones gymnasium in Rockville Centre with at least 2,000 rabid fans in attendance, Gessner and his Mustang teammates fell seconds short of a shocker.

Suffering through a miserable 2-16 record in his maiden year, Gessner led Mineola to 23 wins in his final two seasons resulting in the school’s first Conference Championship in 22 years. Then, on the Cyclones home floor on one February night, Gessner faced the possibility that his basketball career (CYO, Middle School, AAU and high school) was over.

Little did he or anyone else in the Mineola community realize what was to come from hard work, dedication and a passion for his favorite sport.

As a senior recipient of the prestigious , Gessner entered Molloy College and walked-on to the Division II NCAA basketball team winning the approval of Head Coach Charles Marquardt after lukewarm offers from Division III SUNY Cortland and St. Joseph’s College (Patchogue).

During his freshman and sophomore years for the Molloy Lions, Gessner was promised nothing, practiced diligently and saw limited minutes as a seldom used reserve guard. He spent most of his time running the “scout team” in preparation for their upcoming opponent. 

Despite his lack of playing time, Gessner never lost his desire and oftentimes was the team’s biggest motivator. Despite recruiting bigger, stronger and more athletic players, Marquardt never wavered in his commitment to Gessner.

Now a junior at Molloy, Gessner has fulfilled his – and Marquardt’s – expectations.

A few weeks ago, Gessner earned his first starting assignment against Queens College. His defensive intensity and court intelligence pushed him back into the starting five against the University of Bridgeport and C.W. Post University. All three schools are at the top of the East Coast Conference standings with 12-3 records. Molloy’s Lions are next in line behind the conference elite.

Marquardt opted for a smaller but quicker line-up to try and fend off the powerhouses with Gessner at the point. Gessner showed no signs of nerves or rust as he logged significant minutes in each contest.

Local historians say T.J.’s defensive focus and unselfish play have earned him the first start for a Mustang basketball veteran since 1964 Mineola High School graduate Bill Corley stepped onto the hardwood for the University of Connecticut. Corley was eventually an NBA draft choice after setting scoring records for the Huskies.

More importantly, Gessner’s story is one of inspiration and intestinal fortitude. Molloy, who upset C.W. Post, is looking to stay in the upper half of the conference and possibly make a run at a conference championship – one that has eluded them for years in much the same lineage of the Mustang program. 

Along with legendary Mineola coach Bruce Gehrke, Corley is lauded among the best players in Mustang history. Gessner may not be on their level but his motto is more in tune with another champion, the recently departed Jim Valvano, who proclaimed, “Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up.” 

Anybody familiar with T.J. Gessner knows he never will.