Martin displays offensive skills
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
HOUSTON — An otherwise forgettable week for the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team yielded at least one memorable performance.
Phil Martin had the best game of his three-year career last night, although it came in a 75-58 loss at Rice.
Martin, a 6-foot-8 junior, established career-highs with 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Rainbow Warriors. He shot 9 of 14 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line, and also had three steals and one blocked shot.
"Phil's been playing the best basketball of his life," UH head coach Riley Wallace said. "He's really the only guy who stepped up to play the last two games for us."
With starting center Haim Shimonovich unable to play because of a sprained right ankle, Martin was virtually a one-man team in the low-post for the 'Bows.
"It's my job to help the team out in any way I can," Martin said.
More noted for his defensive prowess, Martin has become a threat on offense in the past three weeks. In UH's past six games, he is averaging 15.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
"He's real solid right now," Wallace said. "If he can maintain that pace the rest of the way, we'll be OK."
Martin's performance, however, was neutralized by Rice center Yamar Diene, a 6-9 junior. He also had a career-best game with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
"It was kind of fun to see two of the non-seniors in the league have such a great battle," Rice head coach Willis Wilson said. "Phil Martin and Yamar went head-to-head, and I thought it was just classic basketball."
However, much of Diene's production came against UH freshman Milos Zivanovic, a 6-11 freshman who was making the first start of his career in place of Shimonovich.
"I knew he was going start the game and he was a freshman and usually doesn't play that much," Diene said. "So basically I said I was going to take him every time I can."
Led by Diene, the Owls scored 42 points "in the paint," and out-rebounded Hawai'i, 41-28.
• English update: For the second consecutive game, Carl English played at less than full strength because of flu-like symptoms.
He did not participate in the team's shootaround yesterday morning. Instead, he was hooked up to an IV system to replenish the fluids in his body.
"Let's hope he's over it by the time we get back," Wallace said. "Because he's such a big part of our offense and we need him in there."
English finished with 14 points on 4-of-15 shooting, including 2 of 8 from 3-point range.
• Up next: A 12-day road trip will finally end today when the 'Bows return to Honolulu. Hawai'i went 1-2 on the trip, beating Kent State on Feb. 22 before losing to Tulsa and Rice.
UH closes its regular season with home games against Boise State on Thursday and then Texas-El Paso on Saturday.
