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Two years ago, Alijah Martin did not know he would be the answer to a trivia question in 2025.
Back them, he was helping Florida Atlantic reach the Final Four where the Owls would lose to San Diego State on a last-second shot in the national semifinals in Houston.
Now he's back in the Final Four albeit with Florida, which faces Auburn in the national semifinals on Saturday in San Antonio. Two Final Fours, two different teams.
While many coaches have led different schools to Final Fours, only three players have pulled off that feat. But Martin will have an edge on the other two if the Gators end up winning it all. He will stand alone as a starter on a national championship team.
More: Former Owls flying high! Stars from FAU basketball Final Four run play in Sweet 16
Martin is the Gators' second-leading scorer at 14.5 points per game. The 6-foot-2 senior guard was FAU's leading scorer with 26 points in its Final Four loss and the best player on the floor that day.
Before Martin moved into this hallow space, only two players ever had appeared in the Final Four with two different schools.
Steve Krafcisin was with North Carolina and Iowa when they made their respective Final Fours. The 6-9 center was a freshman with the Tar Heels in 1977 and redshirt junior with the Hawkeyes in 1980. He would go on to coach the North Iowa Area Community College men's basketball team from 1997 to 2005 and then the women’s team at Des Moines Area Community College from 2005 to 2022.
Bob Bender was a freshman reserve on Indiana's undefeated 1976 national championship team - the last Division I team to complete an undefeated season. He played one minute in the title game. He also was a point guard with Duke when it went to the Final Four in 1978. Bender went on to coach the Washington Huskies from 1993 to 2002 and also was an assistant for five NBA teams, the most recent the Memphis Grizzlies.
Thanks to the transfer portal, the movement of players from school to school is expected to keep rising. And the stronger programs will try to pick players in the portal who already have an NCAA Tournament pedigree, even better if they have already played in a Final Four.
Look at FAU's Final Four team from the 2022-23 season. Besides Martin, three others left the Boca Raton university and played in this year's NCAA Tournament: Vlad Goldin (Michigan, following head coach Dusty May), Johnell Davis (Arkansas) and Nick Boyd (San Diego State).
And think of what the Owls could have accomplished this season if those four players all stayed at FAU - with or without May.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Alijah Martin joining 2 others as players on 2 different Final Four teams
Continue reading...
Back them, he was helping Florida Atlantic reach the Final Four where the Owls would lose to San Diego State on a last-second shot in the national semifinals in Houston.
Now he's back in the Final Four albeit with Florida, which faces Auburn in the national semifinals on Saturday in San Antonio. Two Final Fours, two different teams.
While many coaches have led different schools to Final Fours, only three players have pulled off that feat. But Martin will have an edge on the other two if the Gators end up winning it all. He will stand alone as a starter on a national championship team.
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More: Former Owls flying high! Stars from FAU basketball Final Four run play in Sweet 16
Martin is the Gators' second-leading scorer at 14.5 points per game. The 6-foot-2 senior guard was FAU's leading scorer with 26 points in its Final Four loss and the best player on the floor that day.
Who are other players to appear in Final Four with 2 different schools?
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Before Martin moved into this hallow space, only two players ever had appeared in the Final Four with two different schools.
Steve Krafcisin was with North Carolina and Iowa when they made their respective Final Fours. The 6-9 center was a freshman with the Tar Heels in 1977 and redshirt junior with the Hawkeyes in 1980. He would go on to coach the North Iowa Area Community College men's basketball team from 1997 to 2005 and then the women’s team at Des Moines Area Community College from 2005 to 2022.
You must be registered for see images attach
Bob Bender was a freshman reserve on Indiana's undefeated 1976 national championship team - the last Division I team to complete an undefeated season. He played one minute in the title game. He also was a point guard with Duke when it went to the Final Four in 1978. Bender went on to coach the Washington Huskies from 1993 to 2002 and also was an assistant for five NBA teams, the most recent the Memphis Grizzlies.
Will more players appear in multiple Final Fours on different teams?
Thanks to the transfer portal, the movement of players from school to school is expected to keep rising. And the stronger programs will try to pick players in the portal who already have an NCAA Tournament pedigree, even better if they have already played in a Final Four.
Look at FAU's Final Four team from the 2022-23 season. Besides Martin, three others left the Boca Raton university and played in this year's NCAA Tournament: Vlad Goldin (Michigan, following head coach Dusty May), Johnell Davis (Arkansas) and Nick Boyd (San Diego State).
And think of what the Owls could have accomplished this season if those four players all stayed at FAU - with or without May.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Alijah Martin joining 2 others as players on 2 different Final Four teams
Continue reading...
