Martinez hopes to live dream in PBA

MANILA, Philippines - Former UE guard James Martinez yesterday vowed to bring his A-game every time he steps on the court for whatever team will give him a chance in the PBA draft at Robinson’s Place Manila this Sunday. Hard work and heart are the intangibles that Martinez said will define his pro career if it unravels in the coming season set to open Oct. 2.

“It’s every player’s dream to make it to the PBA,” said the 24-year-old sharpshooter who hit a team-high 17 points to lead the Red Warriors to a 67-61 win over UP in his final UAAP game last year. “I’m confident I can contribute to any team in the PBA. I was an off-guard in high school then coach Dindo (Pumaren) turned me into a point guard at UE. I’m comfortable playing both guard positions. I’m a hard worker. On my own, I do extra hours at the Tanduay-UE gym, the GSIS gym and the Moro Lorenzo gym for plyometrics and exercises with coach Andre Tolentino. I give my best in every game. That’s the only way I know how to play.”

Asked to describe his style, the 5-8 1/2 Martinez said he’s a Jimmy Alapag-type. “I know I have a long way to go to play like Alapag but it’s my goal to play at his level,” he said. “As a point guard, my mentality is to pass first and shoot later. But I won’t hesitate to take a shot if I’m open. I’m working on my in-between game and my penetration, too. Teams know I’m a shooter so when the defense sticks close to me outside, I’ll drive and penetrate. My strengths are my speed, three-point shooting ability and court vision. I try to be a two-way player, balancing my offense and defense.”

Martinez said his dream teammates include Danny Ildefonso to run pick-and-rolls and Gary David and James Yap who are prime targets for kick-outs. His all-time idol is PBA legend Ronnie Magsanoc whose brother Ernie was his San Beda elementary coach. In the NBA, Martinez said his favorites are Michael Jordan, Steve Nash and Tony Parker.

If he played in the recent Governors Cup finals, Martinez said there’s no doubt in his mind he would’ve earned minutes for either Petron or Talk ‘N’ Text. “With Petron, I would’ve concentrated on defending Jimmy and Jason (Castro),” he said. “I would’ve provided leadership on the court and contributed to the offense with my outside shooting and penetration. With Talk ‘N’ Text, I would’ve fit in the run-and-gun style of coach Chot (Reyes). I’m comfortable with the pass-and-cut and pick-and-roll. I don’t know how much time I would’ve gotten with either team but if only for a few minutes, I think I would’ve done something positive.”

Martinez said he switched from taekwondo to basketball in Grade 5 then joined the San Beda juniors under coach Ato Badolato. Pumaren recruited him for UE where he played five years. Martinez was also coached by Lawrence Chongson, Rene Bayna and Ricky Dandan in the PBA D-League. In 2004, he played on the Philippine team that won the SEABA under-18 crown with coach Johnny Tam in Lucena. His teammates included Dylan Ababou, Ogie Menor and Castro.

 “I learned a lot from all my coaches,” said Martinez. “I know I’m not as athletically gifted or talented as other players so I make up for my deficiencies by working hard, playing smart and listening to my coaches. I’ve always been a disciplined player. From coach Dindo, I learned how to play within a system. From coach Lawrence, I developed as an individual player. That’s why I’m comfortable playing either in a structured offense or in the open court. But I know I’ve got to bulk up to prepare for the physical game in the PBA and I must be quicker.”

Martinez, a UE dean’s lister and a business administration graduate, said his most memorable basketball moments were the Red Warriors’ 14-0 start to reach the UAAP finals in 2007, his MVP award in the 2006 Champions League and his three-point shooting title at the Mingdao Cup in Taiwan last year.

To prove his warrior’s heart, Martinez recovered from ACL surgery in 2009 to finish his varsity career with a flourish the next year. In the PBA D-League, Martinez averaged 10.5 points and 25.4 minutes, playing consistently whether the Junior Powerade Tigers won or lost. In Powerade’s 119-67 loss to Maynilad, Martinez fired 14. And in the Tigers’ 77-73 win over Cebuana Lhuillier, he shot 16. In 2008-09, he averaged 7.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists with Bacchus in the PBL.

Martinez’ father Danny, a GSIS manager in the acquired assets department, said in basketball, you can’t teach heart or height. “James may not have the height but he’s got the heart,” said Danny whose father Carlos, now 82, is a close friend of Speaker Sonny Belmonte, sharing a hobby as coin and stamp collectors. “He’s the kind of player who performs at a high level whether in practice or in a game. Some players are good in practice but don’t play well in games because of the pressure. With James, it’s all the same. That distinguishes him from others. It’s because of his background. Ato (Badolato) mentored him and brought him to play even in inter-barangay games where the surroundings were sometimes scary. Then, Dindo molded him to play like he used to in the PBA and Lawrence made him a strong one-on-one player. It all started with Ernie (Magsanoc) who took a chance on James because he had a strong body being a taekwondo black belter in Grade 5.”

Martinez is the youngest of three boys. His twin brothers Michael and Paul are 26. Neither is involved in basketball. Michael is a nurse at the Heart Center while Paul is employed in a call center. Mother Evelyn is a professor at the Philippine College of Health and Sciences. His girlfriend Jed Montero is a TV talk show host. “No immediate plans of getting married,” said Martinez. “My first priority is to establish a career, hopefully in the PBA.”