By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
When Los Fresnos coach Marco Hinojosa was asked about Gerry Martinez, he said the freshman has ice in his veins.
Martinez immediately earned the respect of his coach and teammates while beginning his career with the Falcons. They put the ball in his hands in big moments all season, and his smooth jumper was a big part of Los Fresnos’ historic 33-4 run that ended in the program’s first Class 6A regional tournament trip.
The sharpshooting Martinez is The Brownsville Herald’s 2019-2020 All-Metro Boys Basketball Newcomer of the Year.
“It feels great just to know that I helped contribute to a team that made it to the Sweet 16. We made history, and it was kind of crazy for my freshman year,” Martinez said. “I like (the recognition), but I just have to remember to stay humble. I celebrated (the awards) and everything, but I also made sure I got right back to work.”
Martinez was the second-highest scorer for the team, finishing the season with 562 points. He led the Falcons with 82 3-pointers and a free-throw percentage of 84, and he also dished out 72 assists and swiped 81 steals.
The rookie has been playing AAU basketball since he was little, so Hinojosa knew the abilities were there and the spotlight wouldn’t be an issue. His focus was on getting Martinez acclimated to the Falcons’ style of play and erasing any freshman nerves as he found his role on the team.
“We knew as a coaching staff that he would be one of our leading scorers. He lived for the big moments, and he hit some huge shots for us in crucial times,” Hinojosa said. “Even though Gerry was known as a scorer, he was also a solid defender for us and was a very unselfish player. He always made the right basketball play.”
Martinez credited the seniors, especially his District 32-6A Co-MVP Elian Gonzalez, for helping his confidence and trusting him in big games. Martinez scored at least 20 points in nine contests, including a 22-point performance to lead the Falcons in a come-from-behind victory over Laredo Alexander in the second round of the playoffs.
He called that game one of his favorite memories of the season, along with playing in front of a crowd in the thousands at Bert Ogden Arena against Edinburg Vela in the third round.
No matter how big the stage got, the pressure never got to Martinez.
“I get butterflies before the game, but once I step on the floor for warmups and all that I feel good. When I step on the floor I’m ready to attack, I’m ready to go to war,” Martinez said. “Even if I’d miss, like, three shots in a row, (my teammates) would tell me, ‘All right, just keep shooting.’ It felt good because I knew at any point I’d have my brothers behind me.”
Next season, Martinez will be the leader helping his teammates feel comfortable and confident. He knows he’ll have a target on his back because of his stellar debut season, but he’s already hitting the weight room and talking with Hinojosa about game-planning for tighter defenses.
He’ll be the only starter returning in the fall and said with the lessons he learned from the seniors, he’s ready to take the reins for the program. Hinojosa thinks he’s ready, too.
“We will be leaning on him more next year. He will be expected to be an extension of (the coaching staff) on the floor,” Hinojosa said. “It feels great knowing that we have him for three more years, and it feels even better that he already knows what we are expecting from him and he is up for the challenge.”