 "Photo: File photo")
Even though it was in Greece, near beaches that boast crystal blue water, winning a championship overseas was a bittersweet moment for first-year player Martin Zeno.
The former Texas Tech forward had been through a lot after his team, Sea Star APOEL of the Cypress league, beat Keravnos Strovolos 79-70 in April to clinch the 2009 title.
"Just knowing all the stuff that went on the whole year, and we still ended up winning the championship, that felt good," said Zeno, who had 10 points in the championship game and averaged around 12 points per game during the season. "But also, after that happened, I was just ready to get out of there."
In the summer of 2008, after he graduated from Tech, Zeno twisted his ankle while playing with the Los Angeles Lakers' summer league team, killing any shot he had at following up his Tech career with a rookie season in the NBA.
So Zeno packed his bags and headed for Greece to play for one of the more successful clubs there. He quickly became a starter but a coaching change several games into the season had Zeno sitting on the bench more than he was used to.
So right in the middle of the season, he left.
"It was very frustrating, knowing that I should be playing. I should be out there," he said. "Every person got bumps in the road, you just gotta find a way to get over them."
That's what happened. The club started calling him, telling him it was a mistake. He returned and immediately got his starting role back, helping the team finish in fourth place with an 8-8 regular season record.
Zeno said that record was good considering the team had to play several home games away from its normal arena.
None of the past mattered once the playoffs started though.
"Everything just started clicking for us," he said. "The guard play really carried us through the playoffs. We just started gelling, and we ended up just taking it all."
The whole experience had it's "bad moments and it's good times," said Zeno, who has been back in the United States since May resting his body to gear up for next season. However, he won't be playing in the NBA or with the defending champion APOEL in Greece. He didn't try to make a summer league team this summer, he said, and he decided to forego a second season in Greece.
He's looking to land with a different European team and hope for less turmoil. As for teaming up with former Tech guard and sharpshooter Alan Voskuil, who recently signed with Fuenlabrada in Spain, or former guard Jarrius Jackson, who averaged 13.5 points per game in 2008-09 for two different Ukranian teams, Zeno said it probably won't happen.
"I just think life will play its course out. I really can't say. I can't bash Europe because it was pretty good. I'll just see how everything goes, how it all works out. I'll just play it as it goes, that's how I feel about it."
Tech coach Pat Knight said he has not gotten a chance to speak with Zeno since he's been back, but he would like to see him come and practice in Lubbock to help the Red Raiders prepare for next season.
"We're trying to get a lot of our past players when they come back from overseas to work out with our guys," he said. "I know Zeno was really pleased with his play, my assistants told me and he really enjoyed it over there."
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