Luke Plays, For Now
Tagged in: Kiwis Abroad
Wellington Saints point guard Luke Martin has been allowed to play for the Sydney Spirit in the Australian National Basketball League.
For now, at least.
With the Spirit unable to fit Martin under the player points cap and needing former Australian Boomer Jason Smith to take a pay-cut to work in under the salary cap, the guard looked to have missed out on a contract in Australia.
But Martin, Aussie-born with a Kiwi Dad, was signed short-term by the Spirit, formerly the West Sydney Razorbacks, late last week as injury cover for Smith, who is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.
The 27-year-old played seven minutes, going 0-for-1 from the field, with two assists, a rebound and steal in the Spirit’s 112-102 season-opening loss to the defending champion Melbourne Tigers on Saturday.
When Smith returns – expected to be in six weeks – Martin will again be without a team.
Martin, who averaged 9.3 points and 6.6 assists per game for the Saints in the NBL last season, is rated as a five but the Spirit only have four points remaining to stay under the player point cap of 68. Attempts by his management to have his points rating re-evaluated have been denied by the Australian NBL.
The speedy guard’s situation has struck a chord with the game’s fan, with more than 300 people joining the “Let Luke Play” Facebook group, including opposing Tigers assistant coach Darryl MacDonald.
Spirit Want Cap Exemption
Tigers Coach Joins Martin Protest
D-Mac: Cap Rule Not In Spirit
“Let Luke Play” Facebook Group
Elsewhere in the Aussie NBL, Tall Blacks centre Nick Horvath posted a double-double, with 17 points (8/14 FG, 0/1 3pt, 1/1 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 29 minutes, while national team-mate Mika Vukona had two points (1/2 FG) and two rebounds in 12 minutes off the bench but highly favoured South Dragons fell 98-92 to the Cairns Taipans in the tropical North on Saturday.
Former Tall Blacks forward Casey Frank has had his longest pre-season he can remember and he is over it.
Frank’s Gold Coast Blaze, which also includes Tall Blacks captain Pero Cameron, team open their 2008-09 season on Friday night against the 1-0 Taipans at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and the 2.03m forward can barely wait.
“This has been the longest pre-season I have had in years,” he said. “I got here in July and I didn’t think pre-season went this long. I think I need a career rethink actually.
“We are raring to go. It has come quick but at the same time it is a long two or three months of pre-season training to get to this point.”
The cult favourite recently starred with 36 points and 11 rebounds against the Wollongong Hawks in an eyebrow-raising performance.
The American-born, naturalised-Kiwi said he felt in good shape and it was now showing on the court.
“The body feels good and it always feels really good until the season gets to start and you have those back-to-back games that pile up,” he said. “I feel extremely fit and have done a lot of work in the off-season, so hopefully it pays off.”
