Posted on: Sunday, February 29, 2004

Martin has earned coach's respect

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Columnist

As is the "Senior Night" custom for the University of Hawai'i-Manoa men's basketball team, coach Riley Wallace tonight will say some heartfelt things about each of the departing players in post-game ceremonies and pat them on the back.

But where he and Phil Martin are concerned, it was Friday night's game that has already spoken eloquently about the curious relationship of this quiet player and fiery coach.

When Martin was introduced with the starting lineup that night against Tulsa, trotting onto the court despite a heavily taped sore left ankle to play the first 5 minutes, 32 seconds before leaving the floor for good, it spoke to the mutual respect and understanding that has grown over their five years together.

Wallace, who projects the image of the stern taskmaster, has rarely been one to stand on sentimentality or put much credence in individual records. Yet, after watching Martin gingerly take his first shot, you knew he wasn't in there to win the game. Rather, on a night Martin's playing status was thought to be questionable, he was allowed the start that permitted him to tie Phil Lott's school ironman record of 120 consecutive games played.

Martin wanted to tough it out, and letting him was Wallace's way of tipping his hat to the player Martin had become.

It was a scene that would have been unimaginable two or three years earlier, when Wallace often bereated Martin in full-throated roar during practice. Wallace would question Martin's focus, his dedication and, mostly, his toughness.

Little of it was easy to take for the laid-back forward from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. "I was almost afraid to go to practice sometimes because I knew what was coming," Martin said.

Wallace's philosophy is: "If they can handle me, then they can handle anything that gets thrown at them in the game. And, to win games you have to be mentally tough. That's what I put on these guys when they come in: How tough are you?"

Wallace says: "My philosophy is that you can play hurt, but you don't play injured. The athlete who can separate the two is pretty special. And Phil is (special)."

Beyond the 120 consecutive game mark he'll break today, Martin has been part of something bigger. In his four years, the Rainbow Warriors have gone 81-40 and are in the running to make it four straight postseason berths.

Mostly, their five seasons together have taught Wallace and Martin a lot about each other. There is, Wallace says, "a lot of mutual respect there. We've learned to understand each other."

As the record indicates, both of them — and the team — are better for it.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.