Athlete of the Week: Kate Martino

Kate Martino is the starting point guard for the Hilltoppers' girls basketball team. The senior distributor currently averages 14.2 ppg, 5.7 apg (an impressive total for the high school level) and just over three steals per game.

Kate currently sits at 900 points, good for sixth in the Hilltoppers' record book. Martino should easily pass the 1000 point barrier and move into the top three or four all time.

But anyone who has seen Martino play knows that it is not about the stats or points. Instead, the point guard spends most of the game providing her teammates beautiful passes with regularity, a rarity in today's sport.

"As a point guard it's always good to set up your teammates before yourself," said Martino. "But without them I couldn't do much of the passing, they're in the right place at the right time."

Martino has developed great chemistry with her teammates in their years playing together, especially Kelly Osmulski. The two have played together for over ten years now.

"I know where she will be, I know what cut she will make, so that helps," said Martino.

The three sport athlete, Martino also plays soccer and lacrosse, is able to benefit from the similarities of the three sports. Her vision and selfless play is something that benefits her in all three. 

After graduating in the spring, Martino will continue her education as a student-athlete at UNC-Chapel Hill where she will play lacrosse at the Division 1 level.  While she is certainly excited about the opportunity to play lacrosse, Martino will always be a basketball player (her favorite sport).

When asked what she will miss most about playing basketball competitively she said, "I'm going to miss always being involved in the action, always being in the game. And my team."

Coach Brian Erickson's Take:

I've said this to a lot of people, she is the best point guard I have ever coached. And I have coached since 1990. She is one of the best decision makers on the floor that I have ever seen and she can make a pass through the eye of the needle while its moving.

She is one of the hardest workers around. She is the last one off the court and the first on the floor before practice  doing Pistol Pete drills. She is a team first person. Her leadership is not always- its not an in your face leadership it’s a follow me by example leadership. And when she needs to say something she will. When that person is your point guard and leader its huge. You know whats funny is that people on the team will watch her work out and others start doing the same.

As a freshman she started right away with a team that was senior dominated. I had been returning all of my starters and she cracked the starting lineup, somebody had to sit that started as a junior. Everybody knew she was the point guard. And she earned it.

She makes everyone else on the court a better player. She gives it to you where you want it when you want it on time. Obviously shes a bit small but she is one of the toughest defenders around. She gets her hands on the ball for deflections and steals.

The other thing that you can't forget is that she is a student athlete. She is one of the sharpest students that we have in our building. Lastly, Kate is a great teammate and friend to EVERYBODY.