Lauren Campbell
Equinox Staff
The KSC men’s basketball team is back in the swing of things now that the spring semester has begun. Unfortunately, over break, the team has lost their leader.
Since the loss of senior Derek D’Amours the team has had to rework its game. Thankfully junior Ryan Martin stepped up to lead the team.
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“It was definitely a major change in our team makeup, the way we play, and where our scoring was going to come from. I think now Ryan Martin has defiantly stepped up; our big guys have seen a couple more touches inside,” Head Coach Rob Colbert said.
“It’s made us a little more balanced. We definitely don’t have the offensive horsepower that we used to have.”
Since the absence of D’Amours, Martin’s game has only gotten better.
His success continues to grow, including his record 35-point game last week. His strategy to lead the team has been effective.
“Before, if Derek was open I would try to get him the ball. But now it’s if I’m open I’m shooting,” Martin said.
“Offensively I would be more aggressive, and take more shots. Derek was definitely the best scorer on our team, so without him we are trying to get everyone else involved more and get a balanced attack.”
Coach Colbert agrees that Martin has stepped up to the plate, and has transformed into a great team leader.
“He is tenacious, and a fierce competitor. He’s probably harder on himself than I am on him. He just wants to win at all costs. He doesn’t care if he scores 30 points, or two, as long as we win,” Colbert said.
“He does not really have a weakness in his game because he works so hard on it. He’s a great defender, and a very good shooter scorer. He’s really just a tenacious competitor.”
This year the KSC men’s basketball team has been more successful than in recent years.
One thing that both Colbert and Martin can agree on is that the team’s defense, which needed work in previous years, has improved.
“I think we are really embracing defense and half court guarding people, which we’ve been beating on their heads to get this in. When you have the offensive fire power that we’ve had, it easier to think, ‘Well we’ll just outscore people than to guard them.’ I’m much happier with the group in terms of our attention to defense, and with our sharing the basketball. I think it’s a closer group too,” Colbert said.
Martin said, “Keene hasn’t been known for defense. This year we are winning games that definitely wouldn’t have last year. We’re rounding it out and are finding ways to win. It’s all because of our defense.”
This year is particularly special for Colbert because it is his thirteenth season coaching for the KSC men’s basketball team.
“In some ways I’m very demanding, in some other ways I’m loose with the kids. There’s certain things I expect I terms of how we approach the game, how we approach practice, and how we compete. But at the same time I want to make sure that the kids are having fun because that’s why they’re doing it. It’s a long season. My coaching style is probably somewhat between a dictator, I guess, and player’s coach. I think it’s successful because we have great players, not because of me. If we haven’t been successful it’s because of me, because I’ve gotten in the way,” Colbert said.
Not only did Martin describe Colbert as motivating, but he also said he has a funny side to him.
“He’s the motivator of our team. He’s a tough coach, but everyone loves him. He coaches up-tempo style. He also cracks jokes at practice a lot too, so he’s a real funny guy,“ Martin said.
As for the future of the basketball team, Martin is optimistic.
“It’s a lot of work. That’s the one thing Coach Colbert does. He doesn’t run it like a Division Three program; he runs it like a Division One, Division Two program. It’s really uptight and practices are scheduled out. He’s definitely a lot tougher than I think people imagine him to be.”
Lauren Campbell can be contacted at lcampbell@ksc.mailcruiser.com