Martin lands QBL goal
Ricardo set to bring the excitement
BASKETBALL: Ricardo Martin has had his sights set on securing a QBL berth for a while now.
After two years in the South Australia Premier League, it was the next logical step as he continues to strive for a spot in the NBL.
Last week Martin signed with the Mountaineers, with partner Demi Skinner concurrently joining the women’s program.
He said being able to travel and play alongside Skinner was a key motivator as they chased a QBL berth.
“Demi and I decided last season that we wanted to get up to the QBL from South Australia,” he said.
“Once she got back from playing in Malaysia we came back and started contacting a few people.
“I looked on the Mountaineers website and saw Danny was the coach.
“I’ve always been a guy who likes things directly done, so I went ahead and messaged him on Facebook.
“I sent him mine and Demi’s profile and what we were trying to do.
“A few days later he spoke with Kevin Brooks (Adelaide 36ers assistant coach) because I spent a few months down there with them, and they pretty much said they wanted the both of us to come up.”
Martin said the ultimate goal was to make it to the national league (NBL/WNBL), and having Skinner by his side only enhanced the duo’s drive to get there.
“We wanted to get to the QBL together and continue to elevate our game and get as close as we can to the national league,” he said.
“We thought this was the best opportunity to do that for the both of us.
“When you have somebody there that’s always supporting you. When the days are hard and you don’t want to get up, but have somebody with the exact same goals, they push you along.
“It’s good to have somebody there that has the exact same mindset as you.”
Martin hopes to bring a level of passion to the Mountaineers in 2019, and wants to use his experience to help guide the roster forward.
“I’m a passionate guy when it comes to playing,” he said.
“A few times throughout the season you may see me get a little excited. I’ll fist pump, I’ll hit my chest, I’ll push my teammates and get everyone excited.
“I’d like to bring a leadership role. I believe I’ll be one of the older guys on the team.
“I want to bring in a leadership role to where I can come in and say something to them, and they understand it’s not coming from a bad place.
“It would be this is how it is and how the game goes. Being a good leader you have to take the criticism too.
“If one of the guys says something isn’t right or this is what we see on the floor, I have to listen to them.”
Martin’s impact won’t only be felt on the floor, with the import becoming a part of the Mountaineers’ Positive Choices program.
In it he will be working with school children and sharing with them his knowledge on the game he loves.
“We go out to schools and do different clinics and camps in trying to grow the sport in Toowoomba,” he said.
“I do realise we’re competing with cricket, rugby (league) and all these other sports, but we want to get basketball bigger.
“It’s something I did in SA in going to different schools and do recruiting for the clubs down there.
“Coming up here and taking that role when I know what I’m doing, with the backing of John (Gouldson) and Kabe (Cicolini), makes it a lot easier with something that’s already set up.
“The ultimate goal is to continue to build up the next generatio, and get them on court instead of a field.”