Marbury weeps at dad’s funeral

His 2-year-old son in his arms, Knicks star Stephon Marbury stared Thursday into the open coffin containing his father’s body, tears cascading down his cheeks.

Although he chose not to speak at his dad’s funeral, Marbury’s face told volumes about the grief he felt for the man whose love and nurturing taught him as much about life as basketball.

More than 700 mourners filled the Coney Island Gospel Assembly Church to say goodbye to Don Marbury, 68, who had a heart attack Sunday night while cheering on his son at Madison Square Garden.

“He was always there to make sure his son was okay,” said George Merson of Coney Island, who first met Don Marbury 18 years ago at the Bedford YMCA gym. “He was very protective, always showing concern and love for Stephon.”

Flowers, including a bouquet from movie director Spike Lee, filled the front of the church from wall to wall, a testament to the many lives Don Marbury touched as a neighbor, a friend, a U.S. Air Force veteran, a father of seven and a grandfather of 13.

Among the standing-room-only crowd were Stephon Marbury’s teammates, team coach Isiah Thomas, Garden President Steve Mills and former Knicks stars John Starks and Allan Houston.

Also filling the church were countless young men and women who considered Don Marbury a mentor and a father figure in the Surfside Gardens housing project, which had many fatherless homes.

“Playing as a youngster, I remember him giving a lot of advice, telling me things to do and not to do on and off the court,” said Derrick Brown, who went on to play for Providence College.

Just blocks from the church is the basketball court the senior Marbury called “The Garden,” the outdoor classroom where he taught Stephon and his brothers to shoot for the stars.

All five of the Marbury boys played at local powerhouse Lincoln High School and went on to play college ball. Stephon, 30, made it all the way to the pros.

“If one of his sons was playing, then he was at one of those games,” said Ron Naclerio, coach of the Cardozo High School basketball team. “The biggest problem he had was what happened when two or three of those sons were playing at the same time.”

Don Marbury’s daughter Stephanie brought mourners to their feet by belting out the gospel hymn “I Won’t Complain.”

A tearful Stephon Marbury and his brothers Don, Eric and Norman rushed up to the pulpit to hug their sister as she continued to sing.

Knicks players Malik Rose, David Lee and Jamal Crawford were among the pallbearers who carried Don Marbury’s coffin to his final resting place at the Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, N.J.