Welcome to A10 Talk’s Top 25 Player Countdown. Each day, we publish a new article counting down the 25 best players in the Atlantic 10 this past season. Today, we feature #18 Hassan Martin.
Hassan Martin wasn’t able to finish his junior year to do injury, but he was still able to put up big numbers for Dan Hurley’s Rams. Martin will return this year and look to take Rhode Island to the first NCAA Tournament since 1999.
Best Performances
Martin has only played five seasons of organized basketball, but he is a legit NBA prospect. He averaged 12 points and 5.6 rebounds this past season. The 6’7 monster has established himself as an elite rim protector. Martin became the go-to man for the Rams after guard EC Matthews fell victim to injury. A healthy Rhode Island team will be a lock for the NCAA tournament this year.
His best statistical game came in a loss to #19 Dayton. Martin did it a little bit of everything for the Rams. He scored 15 points while grabbing 10 rebounds. He didn’t stop there as he recorded 3 blocked shots and grabbed 3 steals.
Another impressive performance came in an OT win against Iona. Martin dropped 27, shooting 10-15 from the field. He also grabbed 9 boards and blocked 4 shots.
Key Stats
A surprising stat is that Martin was only the 3rd leading scorer for Rhode Island, but made up for it in other areas. Protecting the paint is Martin’s bread and butter. Martin averaged 2.5 blocks and 5.6 rebounds per game. According to KenPom, Martin led the league in Block%. He averaged 12 points per game on 57% shooting.
Team Effort
There was no doubt that Martin was a key piece to Rhode Island’s team. This became even more true after EC Matthews went down with a knee injury. Along with Kuran Iverson, the two were a force to be reckoned with. Injuries held down Rhode Island last year, but things look great for the Rams as they return a veteran roster. Things are looking very good in Kingston.
Previously: #19 Dion Wright
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