THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: Thursday, July 7, 2016

Had he known then what he knows now, perhaps Marcus Colbert takes French in high school, rather than Spanish.

But who would have known the foreign language he took at Post Falls High would have come in handy in his first job out of college?

Then again, whether you can speak French or Spanish, whether you are playing in the U.S. or in Belgium, the language of basketball translates around the world.

“I’m nervous,” admitted Colbert, who recently signed to play basketball professionally in Belgium. “It’s going to be a culture shock.”

Colbert, who finished up his basketball career at Montana State in March, signed with a team called Liege Basket, which plays in the Scooore League.

In shopping for agents, he settled for one based in Brussels, who sent his game tapes to pro teams in Europe. Colbert said he also had interest from teams in Sweden, The Netherlands, France and Hungary.

He is scheduled to leave for Belgium in mid-August.

AS A senior at Montana State this past season, the 5-foot-11 Colbert averaged 16.8 points and 5.2 assists, and was named to the All-Big Sky Conference second team. As a junior, he was named the conference’s sixth man of the year.

For his Bobcat career he finished with 1,372 points, 11th-most in school history. And his 453 assists were second-most in school history.

“I progressed every year and got better, which was the goal,” Colbert said of his college career. “I’m happy about my senior season, and the numbers I put up, and just bettering myself as a point guard. I’m happy with my career at Montana State, and thankful for the opportunity to play there.”

Prior to coming to Bozeman, Colbert was a four-year starting point guard at Post Falls High, helping the Trojans win the state 5A title as a sophomore in 2010, and then leading them to a state runner-up finish in 2012.

Early on in his high school career, Colbert said numerous Division I schools, many much larger than Montana State were recruiting him. But things changed the summer before his junior year, where a combination of a pulled groin playing football in a 7-on-7 league, bulging discs in his back, a pinched nerve and a hard fall while participating at a basketball camp at Washington State (one of the schools initially interested in Colbert), he got to the point where he could barely walk.

Though the injury caused him to sit out his junior season in football, he didn’t miss any action his final two seasons on the Trojan boys basketball team.

However, several bigger schools backed off after learning of his injury.

“I definitely did have a chip on my shoulder,” Colbert said of his college career. “I was used to having college coaches interested in me and calling me every week, and once I got hurt, that stopped for about a year.”

Montana State was interested. He clicked with his future teammates during his recruiting visit, liked the college-town atmosphere, and enjoyed his four years in Bozeman.

Not that he didn’t forget, expecially when facing any of the bigger D-1 schools on the Bobcats’ schedule. He recalled going off for 29 on Wyoming early in his senior season.

“When I went in (to college), I said, ‘I’m going to show all those schools that forgot about me that I could still play,’” Colbert said.

AFTER TWO seasons in Bozeman, the head coach who recruited Colbert to Montana State, Brad Huse, was replaced by Brian Fish, an assistant coach at Oregon the previous four seasons.

“When I found out he (Huse) had resigned, I thought I was going to transfer,” Colbert said. “I didn’t know if he (Fish) was going to clean house and get his own guys.”

But after meeting the new coach, Colbert decided to stick around, and it turned out for the better.

“He was a lot more demanding,” Colbert said. “He had a lot more fire and passion, that’s what I liked. That’s why I think we clicked so well.”

Colbert said Fish challenged him to be more of a vocal leader, rather than lead by example. He also helped Colbert improve as a point guard, in particular making better decisions at the end of games.

A history major, Colbert said he’s five classes from graduating, which he plans to do by taking online classes while in Europe.

While in North Idaho last weekend, Colbert noticed the chatter between the members of Post Falls’ most recent state title-winning teams — the 2010 and 2015 squads — and who would win if they were able to square off against each other, perhaps at a future Hoopfest.

Colbert noted that his 2010 team produced four college players — three in Division 1. He said with all due respect to the younger Trojan champs, “I don’t think it would be very close ... I don’t think they would be able to run with us.”

Colbert headed back to Bozeman this week to train for his shot with the pros. Colbert said the league has a few players previously drafted by NBA teams, as well as some who have played in the NBA D-League.

Liege went 13-17 last season, finishing eighth in an 11-team league, losing 2-0 in the first round of the playoffs. The upcoming season begins around early October.

Colbert obviously wasn’t going to say what he signed for with the Belgium team, other to laugh and say, “it’s more money than I would make if I found a job somewhere.”

Colbert, 22, said when his playing days are over, he might want to consider coaching at the college level. But that’s in the future.

“I just want to go over there and enjoy it and make the most of my opportunity,” he said. “And whatever comes with that ... ”

If nothing else, he’ll add French to his lists of languages — joining English, Spanish and the language of hoops.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.