Male Athlete of the Week: Martrel Johnson

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000 | 10:09 a.m.

Martrel Johnson

High School: Durango

Class: Sophomore

Sport: Boys basketball

Family: Father Martin Henry; mother Cheryl; grandmother Renell; aunt Kaylon

Last week: Johnson helped the Trailblazers to the inaugural Sunset Region Tournament title, lifting his club to wins over Mojave, Western and Bishop Gorman. The 6-3 center was particularly dominant in Friday's 79-57 victory over the Warriors, scoring 28 points and grabbing 15 rebounds against Western's big front line. "I was thinking about getting payback, because we lost the first two games to them," Johnson said. "We had let them get too many rebounds, so I took it upon myself to get as many rebounds as I could." The following night, he scored 25 points and pulled down 19 rebounds to lift Durango to a 68-66 win over the Gaels. "I think it happened at the correct time," Johnson said of his team's tourney title. "I know we're the team to beat now."

This season: Johnson finished the regular season tops on his club in rebounds (11.1 per game) and second among Blazers in scoring (17.6). "Size-wise he's overmatched at times at his position, but his heart is never outmatched," Durango coach Al LaRocque said.