Photo by Florida Atlantic Athletic Dept
Story by Robert Wilson
North Pike High alumnus and Florida Atlantic sophomore forward Alijah Martin didn’t make the national championship game. San Diego State’s Lamont Butler made a shot at the buzzer to send the Aztecs, not the Owls, into the title game against Connecticut.
But in the postgame news conference, Martin wasn’t down about losing on a last-second shot, he wasn’t sulking about not being in the championship game, he didn’t get upset about the questions.
Martin – who scored a game-high 26 points against San Diego State and had an outstanding NCAA Tournament – was ready to get started to do it again next season.
“We didn’t want the season to end,” said the soft-spoken Martin. “We are ready for the offseason, to get better, get stronger, be more physical, let’s do it. We are just hard-working guys.”
Yes, Florida Atlantic put themselves on the national map of men’s college basketball during their remarkable NCAA Tournament run despite being a No. 9 seed. Consider this: Florida Atlantic had never won a postseason tournament game in school history and had only played in four. The program had never produced an NBA player. But this year was different. The Owls dominated Conference USA and won 20 straight games, 13 by double figures, at one point during the season and had a 31-3 record entering the NCAA Tournament.
Martin was one of the big reasons why. In fact, Martin’s last points, a layup with 45 seconds to play, put Florida Atlantic up 71-68 and many felt they were headed for the championship. Martin had a game-high 26 points and seven rebounds in only 31 minutes. He made 7 of 13 shots from the field, 3 of 7 shots from 3-point range, and 9 of 10 shots from the free throw line.
Martin is the first Mississippian to start in a Final Four game since Jackson Callaway High alumnus Malik Newman started for Kansas in the 2018 Final Four. Martin’s game against San Diego State reminded Mississippi fans of Newman, who scored 21 points in a loss to Villanova in the semifinals. Martin’s 26 points could be the most ever by a Mississippian in a Final Four game.
Martin averaged 15.2 points in the five NCAA Tournament games, only once not scoring double figures (nine against Tennessee). It is one of the best NCAA Tournament runs by a Mississippian in history.
Said Martin: “We took this university from the bottom to the top.”
Indeed. Martin almost didn’t go to Florida Atlantic. The then 6-foot-1, 198-pound Martin was a two sport All-State star at North Pike in South Mississippi, but the Power 5 schools shied away from him in football and basketball. Martin, a quarterback, passed for 2,100 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 1,300 yards and TDs as a senior. He averaged 25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals and was the MVP of the Mississippi/Alabama game in basketball. Martin also won the state championship in the high jump and triple jump in track and field.
Martin had offers from Southern Miss, Tulane, Alabama-Birmingham, and Arkansas State in football. He had multiple offers in basketball (including Southern Miss, Jackson State and Alcorn State in Mississippi), but no Power 5 offers and had committed to McNeese State, He liked Florida Atlantic, but the Owls didn’t have any scholarships available. But Ricardson Maitre, Florida Atlantic’s second leading scorer and rebounder, entered the transfer portal in April. Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May called Martin asked if he was still available.
He was.
“We were fortunate enough to sign him,” May said. “We got an iPad and a golf cart and we drove around campus and showed them (Martin and his mom Tina Martin-Wells) everything we could think of in a two-, three-hour period.”
Martin called McNeese State and apologized to the coaches and told them he was going to Florida Atlantic.
“I just remember it was very sunny outside. That’s the only thing I could really see, a lot of palm trees,” Martin said when he visited in West Palm Beach. “I’m from Summit, Summit, Mississippi. We have pine trees instead of palm trees. I was looking at the area, the conference, I was going to trust God that it works, and just go with it.”
It has worked, remarkably well for both Martin and Florida Atlantic.
Martin could be the most accomplished basketball player in Florida Atlantic history after just two seasons in the starting lineup. He scored his 1,000th career point in the Elite Eight win over Kansas State. Martin is on pace to challenge Greg Gantt’s all-time scoring record (1,972) if he plays his final two years at Florida Atlantic.
Martin is one of five Florida Atlantic basketball players in school history (three decades of playing in Division I) who have been named all-conference at least twice. He has averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds and 27 minutes per game over the last two seasons.
When Martin arrived on campus three years ago, he was just working to get some playing time. And now it is so much more.
“I don’t think any of us can go anywhere on campus without taking a photo or signing something,” Martin said. “We appreciate the love and support. We always dreamed of this.”
Now that Martin and Florida Atlantic have tasted success in the NCAA Tournament they want more. They want to get to the national title game.
