The University of Memphis Tigers men’s basketball program is in a period of uncertainty going into the 2017 season. After finishing with a disappointing 19-13 record last season, the Tigers endured a wave of transfers.
The Tigers lost last season’s top three scorers as transfers in Markel Crawford, K.J. Lawson and Dedric Lawson, who led the team in scoring and rebounding. With the change that is surrounding the program, it is up to junior guard Jeremiah Martin to become the leader of the team this year.
The Mitchell High graduate is now a grizzled veteran compared to his teammates. He and forward Jimario Rivers are the only two Tigers who received more than 25 minutes of playing time last season.
Martin produced during his time as the starting point guard last season. He led the team in assists and steals per game, averaging four assists and nearly two steals per game. He contributed as a scorer, finishing with 10 points per game, which was good for fourth on the team.
Martin also took care of the basketball well, finishing top-five in the American Athletic Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio–not a bad statistic considering he was more of a shoot-first point guard in high school.
If there are knocks on Martin’s game, it would be outside shooting and overall playmaking ability. He only shot 28 percent from beyond the arc a year ago. With the absence of Crawford and the Lawson brothers, Martin must become a viable threat from outside, as he will have to take on the role as the team’s primary shot creator.
Last season, the Tiger offense was stagnant on far too many occasions. It’s evident that Martin was still getting used to his new role as a point guard. He did not have a natural feel for setting up his teammates. His improvement offensively will be the key to the Tigers chances at competing in the AAC.
Martin will also have to take control of the team off the court as well. With the everyday drama surrounding the Lawsons, there was a cloud of dysfunction that formed around the program. The distractions looked to affect the team on the court, as the Tigers struggled down the stretch of the season. They dropped six of their last seven games to end the year, and three of them were by 20 points or more.
It is important that Martin assumes a calm and steady leadership role to keep the Tigers moving towards a conference title. How well he adjusts to this position of authority will go a long way towards determining if this roster of newcomers can quickly gel in the opening months.
Martin looks to be up for the challenge. Despite others leaving the program after last season, he never once wavered in commitment. He became a valuable asset in recruiting visits that helped the Tigers get four junior college prospects.
Head coach Tubby Smith seems to believe in Martin as well, naming him a team captain in September. Because he’s been given the keys to the program, we will see how far he takes them.
Jeremiah Martin put the defender on his back to protect the ball. The point guard led the team in assists last season with 4.4.
