Kenyon Martin acknowledges the crowd. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        When Kenyon Martin got into the UC-turned-New Jersey Nets locker room Friday, he noticed he was placed in a space that was not his as a Bearcat.

        “I ain't going for that,” the No.1 pick in the NBA draft said.

        He soon was moved to his old locker, just a few feet from the permanent enclosed case with his jersey, shoes and warm-up outfit.

        Martin returned to the Shoemaker Center for the Nets' final exhibition game, a 91-83 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

        When the 1999-2000 college basketball player of the year was announced before the game, he got a standing ovation. Martin then took a courtside microphone and thanked the crowd of 10,134 for coming.

Martin poses beside his retired locker. | ZOOM |

        The 6-foot-9 forward scored his first basket of the night on an alley-oop dunk with 11:45 left in the second quarter. Martin, who missed his first three shots, finished with 14 points, on 6-of-10 shooting, and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes. It was his second straight double-double. He was 4-of-4 from the field in the second half.

        Every time he did anything — including entering the game — the crowd roared.

        “I'm used to it here,” he said later. “Normally, there's 3,000 more (people). ... I couldn't make a shot at first, but I calmed down.”

        Said Nets coach Byron Scott: “He took another step tonight. I liked his intensity. ... He showed me a little bit of that Kenyon Martin I expected.”

Martin dunks. | ZOOM |

        CLEVELAND (83) — Murray 1-8 5-6 8, Traylor 4-6 0-2 8, Ilgauskas 1-6 4-4 6, Person 3-9 0-0 9, Miller 6-8 3-3 15, Mihm 1-3 3-4 5, Harpring 3-5 4-6 10, Langdan 2-5 0-0 5, Gatling 6-13 1-2 13, Weatherspoon 0-1 0-0 0, Henderson 0-1 0-0 0, Coles 0-4 1-2 1. Totals 28-72 22-31 83.

        NEW JERSEY (91) — Martin 6-10 2-2 14, Jackson 6-10 1-2 13, Eschmeyer 1-4 1-2 3, Gill 9-13 1-2 19, Marbury 4-10 1-2 9, Ollie 1-3 0-0 2, Douglas 0-0 1-2 1, Newman 6-10 3-4 16, Freeman 2-3 0-0 4, Williams 1-4 6-10 8, Samake 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 37-68 16-26 91.

        Cleveland 22 20 18 23—83

        New Jersey 24 21 26 20—91

        3-Point goals—Cleveland 5-12 (Person 3-4, Murray 1-3, Langdan 1-2, Miller 0-1, Gatling 0-2), New Jersey 1-3 (Newman 1-1, Marbury 0-2). Fouled out—Samake. Rebounds—Cleveland 42 (Weatherspoon 7), New Jersey 37 (Martin 12). Assists—Cleveland 9 (Miller, Langdan 3), New Jersey 16 (Marbury 5). Total fouls—Cleveland 27, New Jersey 32. Technicals—Martin, Traylor. A—10,134.

        Williams took back road to NBA career

UC, Miami playing for similar stakes Happy homecoming for Martin UC-St. Louis game rescheduled

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