STAR-BULLETIN / 2002
Phil Martin starts his 45th straight game for Hawaii tonight. The junior forward from Hamilton, Ontario, usually draws the assignment of guarding the opponent's top offensive player.
Home in the Islands If he were home back in Canada, Phil Martin knows exactly what he'd be doing this holiday week.
Hawaii and his native Canada
Williams leaves 'Bows
could not be more different, but
Rainbow junior forward Phil Martin
loves them both the same
By Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.com"I'd be playing in the snow, making a snowman and spending a lot of time with the family," said Martin.
The 6-foot-8 junior forward for the Hawaii basketball team is a long way from his Hamilton, Ontario, home, but he has tried to get in the winter mode. He and fellow Canadian Carl English have a tree in their room, strung with lights and sprayed with flocking.
"It's different being out here during winter, not having snow," said Martin. "But we tried to set up a home atmosphere for the holidays."
Martin has more then made himself at home in the Rainbow lineup. Despite a strained right knee, Martin is scheduled to make his 45th consecutive start when Hawaii (4-1) takes on Bradley (2-6) in tonight's second game of the 39th Rainbow Classic.
Martin is the glue in the Hawaii defense, which is fourth in the Western Athletic Conference at 65.5 ppg. During last week's Adidas Festival, the former Canadian junior national team member was assigned the leading scorer on both Eastern Illinois (Henry Domercant) and New Orleans (Hector Romero).
The player nicknamed "The Glove" shut them down early. Domercant was held to two first-half baskets and Romero to one 3-pointer until Martin went to the bench with two fouls midway through the first half.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Martin, left, and his teammates celebrated Hawaii's second straight WACtournament title in Tulsa, Okla., in March.
"I take pride in playing good defense," said Martin. "I'm not too satisfied personally with last week, but overall the team effort was good.
"I fulfilled a few tasks here and there, and defense was the main focus. That's what Coach (Riley Wallace) asked of me. I'm disappointed about getting into foul trouble. I want to be in there, defensively and offensively."
Wallace would like to see Martin score a few more points than his current 8.6-point average. Something that could boost that is 3-point shooting.
Until the Dec. 14 game at San Diego State, Martin had never taken a 3-point shot as a Rainbow. He's now 1-for-1, hitting his first and only attempt against the Aztecs.
"He can shoot it and I trust him when he's open to make it," said English, leading UH with 15 3-pointers this season. "Any shot's a good shot when you're 100 percent with it. And he is."
"Carl's been very encouraging," said Martin. "He tells me, 'You've got the green light. Go for it.'
"I wasn't feeling my shot, but I'm feeling it more, got more confidence. I'll take a few more this season."
Martin nearly didn't get at shot at Division I. Transcript problems had him headed for Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Division II school. The week before he was supposed to leave for IUP, he got his letter saying he was D-I-eligible.
Then Hawaii called.
Then-Rainbow assistant coach Scott Rigot had seen Martin play on a Canadian all-star team prior to his senior year at Cathedral High, but knew grades might come into play. Hawaii signed English late (July 1999) and "Carl said, 'By the way, I have this friend,' " said Rigot.
Martin signed and ended up joining the injured English as a redshirt freshman.
"It wasn't a hard sell to the coaches," said English. "Phil could have gone a lot of places. He was a great steal.
"I treat him as a brother. Sometimes he's too nice and, on the court, he needs to be more aggressive. But he is a top player."
Martin is very athletic, with good genes from Phil Sr., who played football for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. Phil Jr. played youth soccer, football and baseball, and lettered in volleyball and basketball in high school.
But he knew basketball was his ticket to college and a possible career.
"I'd like to go to Europe or wherever I can to keep playing," he said. "Definitely want to be a family man and put my (sociology degree) to use somewhere."
School has not always been a priority. Missing study hall led to him sitting out the Dec. 9 exhibition win over Hawaii-Hilo.
"School is back on track," said Martin. "I think I was focusing on basketball too much.
"I remember when I first heard from Hawaii. I thought, 'What a great place to go to school.' Most people only get here on their honeymoon or after they've retired."
Martin will turn 23 on March 9, the day Hawaii leaves for the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Tulsa as the two-time defending WAC champion. Going 3-for-3 is part of Martin's New Year's resolution.
"Getting two championship rings is a dream for every college athlete," said Martin. "But three, even four, is attainable. I've seen flashes of brilliance on this team this year, just like the past two years, when it was a whole team effort.
"I never expected this kind of success. And the team is great. Most of us are a long way from home but you felt that aloha spirit the first time you stepped off the plane."
>> Today: Tennessee Tech vs. Alcorn State, 5 p.m.; Hawaii vs. Bradley, 7:30 p.m. Rainbow Classic
>> Tomorrow: Butler vs. Texas-Pan American, 5 p.m.; Western Kentucky vs. Chicago State, 7:30 p.m.
>> Where: Stan Sheriff Center
>> TV: Hawaii game, Live, KFVE-TV.
>> Radio: Hawaii game, Live, 1420-AM
>> Internet: uhathletics.hawaii.edu
Tonight's starters
Bradley (2-6)
Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Phillip Gilbert (Jr.) 6-3 20.9 5.5 1.5 G James Gillingham (Jr.) 6-4 16.4 4.5 3.9 G Chris Mroz (Fr.) 5-11 1.6 0.6 1.8 F Mike Suggs (So.) 6-6 3.3 1.8 0.1 F Jabbar Battle (Jr.) 6-6 6.1 3.4 0.6
Hawaii (4-1)
Ht. Pts. Reb. Ast. G Carl English (Jr.) 6-5 17.8 6.6 3.0 G Mark Campbell (Sr.) 6-4 5.8 3.0 6.0 G Michael Kuebler (Jr.) 6-5 11.0 3.0 3.0 F Phil Martin (Jr.) 6-8 8.6 3.0 0.2 C H. Shimonovich (Jr.) 6-10 12.4 8.0 2.1
BACK TO TOP |
Williams leaves ’Bows;
WKU’s Marcus will playJunior guard Ramsey Williams is no longer on the Hawaii men's basketball team.
The 5-foot-11 walk-on out of Moanalua High did not make grades this past semester.
Williams played for College of the Desert one season before transferring to UH. His father, Charles, played for the Rainbows for two seasons (1970-71 and 1971-72) with the Fab Five team that went 47-8.
Also of note, Western Kentucky's honorable mention All-America center Chris Marcus has been cleared to play in the 39th Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic. The 7-1 senior has had foot surgery twice in the past six months and wasn't expected back on the court for another two weeks.
The Hilltoppers face Chicago State in tomorrow's second game at 7:30 p.m.
Star-Bulletin staff
UH Athletics
