By Chris Umpierre
Daily Bruin Staff
Welcome home, now go guard Lisa Leslie.
That was Minnesota Lynx head coach Brian Agler’s message
to former Bruin Maylana Martin before his team’s game against
the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday.
In her first game back in Los Angeles since her storied UCLA
career, Martin got her second career start and the unenviable task
of guarding last year’s All-WNBA second team center.
Martin stepped up to the challenge as she scored 11 points (5 of
7 shooting) in 26 minutes as her Lynx nearly upset the Sparks,
58-57.
“Playing against probably the best post player in the
world, Maylana held her own,” Agler said, referring to
Leslie. “I think it’s something to give her confidence
that she can build on.”
Martin said: “It was nice that I got to start in front of
my hometown. It was good seeing everybody again. We lost, but
it’s still neat to see everyone after a couple
months.”
Martin graduated from UCLA last winter and was selected No. 10
overall by the Lynx in the 2000 WNBA draft. She averaged 18.1
points and 8.1 rebounds per game during her Bruin career, finishing
as UCLA’s all-time second-highest scorer. Her play was
influential in turning the Bruin women’s basketball program
into a consistent top-20 squad. During her stay in Westwood, she
spearheaded the Bruins to three NCAA tournament appearances ““
including a trip to the Elite Eight in 1999.
Agler didn’t realize it was Martin’s first game back
in Los Angeles until after the game.
“It was ironic because I didn’t think about that
when we decided to start her,” he said. “That’s
not the reason we started her, we started her because she deserved
to start.”
Martin, who had been averaging 10.5 minutes per game,
immediately got introduced to Leslie as the Sparks went to their
center in the game’s first possession. Guard Tamecka Dixon
lobbed the ball over Martin to Leslie, who was promptly fouled by
the former Bruin.
After Leslie made both of her free throws, the Lynx brought the
ball up and threw it to Martin in the paint. She pumped twice and
hit a jump hook over Leslie’s outstretched arms.
Martin would hold Leslie at bay for most of the game as the
Sparks’ center shot just 5 of 12 from the field. She was,
however, 14 for 14 from the charity line and finished the game with
24 points and 13 rebounds.
“I tried not to think of it as I’m guarding Lisa
Leslie,” Martin said. “I just tried to think of it as
I’m going against just another player.”
It appeared that her return to Los Angeles would have a
storybook ending. With 35 seconds left in the game and the Lynx
down 54-52, Martin found guard Betty Lennox at the top of the key,
where Lennox buried a three to put Minnesota up by one.
The lead would not stand, as Leslie answered with two free
throws. Lennox then raced downcourt and hit from the outside with
6.8 seconds left to give the Lynx a 57-56 lead.
With time ticking away, Dixon drove to the basket and was fouled
in the lane by Martin with 1.3 seconds left. Dixon then made both
of her free throws to ice the game for the Sparks.
Martin’s play impressed Leslie, who played on the gold
medal-winning U.S. Olympic team in 1996.
“I thought she had a pretty good game,” Leslie said.
“She tried to come out and be really aggressive. I thought
she made some luck shots. One over the top and one off the glass so
I don’t know about that. Sometimes that happens when you come
home and you’re excited to play.”
Martin, who was averaging 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds before the
game, said she had some trouble making the transition from college
to the pros.
But she feels she has gotten over the hump.
“It’s been tough because (Agler’s) system is a
lot different,” she said. “As you could see, I was out
on the perimeter most of the time. I’ve had to expand my game
a lot. Get better on my outside shot. Get better off the dribble.
It’s been a big change but I’m finally getting the hang
of it.”
For instance, Martin is now being asked to hit the three-point
shot.
After shooting just one three-pointer all of last season for
UCLA, she has attempted 11 threes already for the Lynx.
Leslie thinks the former Bruin will have a long career in the
WNBA.
“I think she will come along,” she said. “She
has a good body size. And she’s playing aggressive and
that’s half of it right there.”