Cayman Martin’s patience paid off at Crespi
The microwave society we live in doesn’t just exist in the kitchen or online. Meals can be made in seconds. Packages arrive at your door the same day. We need it fast. We want it now.
That attitude exists in sports, too. Fans want rookies to produce fast. General managers want coaches to win immediately. More often than not, success takes time. Food out of the oven often tastes better than anything out of a microwave, right?
Crespi junior forward Cayman Martin epitomizes that illustration after playing junior varsity basketball his sophomore season and blossoming into one of the team’s most reliable players.
Martin arrived to Crespi from Japan, and being a foreign student forced him to play lower-level basketball for a year due to CIF rules. But it may have been the best thing for him.
“At the beginning, I was very frustrated and sad not being able to play varsity. I saw it as an opportunity and advantage by working even harder every single day,” Cayman said. “I wasn’t going to let that stop me. Looking at it now, all the hard work paid off and I’m glad I waited patiently for my turn to come.”
He leads the Celts in scoring (14.3 ppg) and rebounding (4.7 rpg) under coach Derek Fisher, who sees Martin’s journey as a great example to share with players and parents.
“Every student-athlete’s journey is unique,” Fisher said. “There is no set or fixed time for him or her to have these great moments. Help them create an environment for success and then allow them to determine how their success plays out on their timeline. Not yours as a parent.”
Martin is listed at 6-foot-6 and has proven to be the ultimate team player. He seems to never complain or pout, yet he will run rim to rim and set screens for multiple possessions in a row without scoring or even touching the ball.
“Lower-level basketball prepared me for the varsity level by showing what it is to be a leader and the main guy on the team,” said Cayman. “Sometimes I needed to do everything that I had to win a game. The mission league JV games aren’t easy … It helped me prepare mentally and physically (for varsity).”
Yet, Martin plays so well off his playmaking teammates, like Jasiah Williams and Carter and Isaiah Barnes, he has notched nine games with 19 points or more.
“Cayman’s efficiency stands out because he doesn’t try to force things to happen,” Fisher said. “He’s able to lead us in scoring because he’s learned how to play with great teammates and be a great teammate.”
Crespi finished the season 19-11 overall and earned its way into the Mission League tournament semifinal, which clinched the Celts an automatic playoff berth. But after beating Harvard-Westlake and falling to top-ranked Notre Dame by just four, don’t be surprised if Crespi is pulled into the Open Division playoffs if the section decides to make a 12-team field.
Crespi is ranked No. 14 in the latest computer rankings (as of Jan. 26) before its great week of play which could boost them into the Top 12. If not, the Celts will certainly be a top-seeded team in the Division 1 playoffs.
The CIF Southern Section will announce the basketball playoff pairings on Saturday at noon.