PERTH Wildcats skipper Damian Martin says he will wait until after the season before deciding whether to continue his glittering NBL career.
Martin proved he can still come up big in the clutch moments by sinking a crucial three-pointer in the dying minutes of Sunday’s 88-86 win over the Sydney Kings.
The victory gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five grand final series, with the next match in Perth on Friday night.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWMartin’s one-year deal expires at the end of the current NBL season and the 35-year-old is yet to make an announcement on his future.
The former Boomers representative missed the tail end of the home-and-away season with a heel injury, and Mitch Norton is now considered Perth’s first-choice point guard.
But Martin’s leadership and manic defensive pressure continue to be key assets at the Wildcats.
He wants to wait until the grand final series is over before putting more thought into his future.
“It’s definitely something I have to decide. I’m off contract, I’m 35 and I’ve been dealing with niggling injuries,” Martin said.
“I’m not going to do anything until the end of the year.
“It’s all about enjoying another finals campaign, being there for my teammates and just making sure that whatever happens, I’ve given my all for us.”
The pressure is on the Kings to rebound in game two, with the spotlight set to beam brightly on Casper Ware.
The star Kings import scored just five points on one-of-14 shooting on Sunday, and also committed five turnovers.
He missed a last-ditch shot that would have given the Kings the win.
His direct opponent, Bryce Cotton, had a game-high 32 points.
Martin said Ware remains a huge threat.
“Casper is one of those guys that if you don’t keep an eye on him, or you don’t play as well as you can every possession, he can put points on the board just as quickly as Bryce can,” Martin said.
“We’ve got to make sure that we’re switched on come Friday, because he’s a hell of a player.
“Even though we won, we didn’t play our best basketball.
“Now it’s about locking into Friday, because all that good can be undone if we don’t hold serve on our home court.”
More news
