Martin Reaches a Level of Success at Cal State Northridge

Ryan Martin knew playing basketball at Cal State Northridge wouldn’t give him the same chance at fame that his childhood buddy Cherokee Parks has found at Duke. But Duke didn’t come after him--Northridge did.

And although Martin, a 6-foot-2-inch senior guard, will complete his college eligibility this season without hanging out with NBA lottery picks, without playing in a nationally televised game or being anywhere close to the first round of the NCAA tournament, he’s nonetheless proud of his college basketball career. As Martin has found, success depends on how its measured.

“You can be successful at two different levels,” Martin said. “Anybody who goes through a four-year Division I career and can start and get their degree, that’s success.”

Martin, 21, is the Matadors’ starting guard and one of the team’s emotional leaders. He is Northridge’s fourth-leading scorer at 9.2 points per game and No. 4 on the school’s all-time list with 94 three-pointers.

He will graduate with a speech communications degree in May and is considering becoming a lawyer. Although Northridge (2-8) is struggling through one of its typically brutal seasons, Martin sounds genuine as he explains the positive impact being a Matador has had on him.

“There is so much more than basketball in my life,” Martin said. “I’ve made a lot of great friends and I had a good experience.

“I feel good about myself--that’s what counts.”

Not that Martin has never experienced victory. He was a member of winning teams while playing baseball and basketball at Ocean View High. As a senior, Martin paced the basketball team in scoring at 18.1 points and was voted Ocean View’s most valuable player.

Martin would have loved to play with his longtime friend Parks, a probable first-round selection in this year’s NBA draft, at Duke--or at about 100 other schools. However, he’s grateful that at least Northridge wanted him.

“Cherokee and I talk about how things have worked out,” Martin said. “Cherokee knew he wanted to play in (the NBA), and hopefully he will. I wish I could do that too, but that’s not really reality.”

Despite his sage perspective on collegiate athletics and his personal limitations, Martin is angered by the apathy of Northridge’s students.

“It’s really disappointing,” he said. “We’re out there busting our butts for this school and the students just don’t care.

“We have our close-knit boosters, the people who are there day in and day out, but the students around the campus don’t support us. It’s hard for us to go into home games when there’s nobody there.

“When the big-time teams come we pack (people) in, but when they’re not here nobody comes out. It’s sad to know they’re coming out for the big-time team--not for us.”

Occasionally, the Matadors upset teams.

Northridge defeated Long Beach State twice in Martin’s career, including a 64-58 victory over the visiting 49ers on Dec. 6. Martin scored 10 points in 12 minutes, including making two free throws to tie the score at 56 late in the second half.

True, this isn’t tantamount to defeating UCLA. At Northridge, though, its the season highlight.

“The Long Beach game was huge,” Martin said. “They are a quote unquote ‘better team’ than us. We always play well against them and (Long Beach Coach Seth) Greenberg doesn’t like playing us.”

If law school doesn’t work out, Martin said he would consider trying to play professionally in Europe.

But he also added jokingly: “Or I could always just become Cherokee’s agent.”

Keeping Track is a regular column in The Times following the progress of former Orange County athletes competing for colleges elsewhere.