BY PAUL DAUGHERTY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kenyon Martin shoots over UAB's Fred Williams. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Conference basketball tournaments are for flirting with the NCAA Tournament selection committee and filling conference wallets. Conference tournaments don't waste time. They just fill it.

UC beat Alabama-Birmingham 100-85 Friday night, in a tournament semifinal that had all the urgency of chess. It was good that Kenyon Martin played well. Along with UC mate D'Juan Baker, Martin kept everyone entertained, if not always alert.

Watching Martin is like watching a good linebacker. UC's sophomore center has a bit of the nasty in him. If you come into his lane, he will break your face. Figuratively, of course.

We always knew that. What we didn't know was that Martin has some game on offense, too. He had 14 points in the first half, a half which occasionally threatened to be competitive.

Martin had such an effect early, the Blazers went into a zone to cramp his style. Martin waded into the zone like he belonged there. The entry passes came in ridiculously easily. Martin did the rest.

''I've been meaning to step up on offense,'' Martin said. ''I've had it. I just didn't need it.''

Oh. I've been away awhile. When did Kenyon Martin pick up that turnaround jumper in the lane? Last week? The jumphook. Nice jumphook. When did that arrive?

The perception was that Martin was an inside enforcer with limited offensive game. That was fine. UC had enough scorers beyond Martin. If he spent the season rebounding, rejecting shots and flexing pecs, that would have been OK.

The perception was wrong. At least, it has changed.

''I could always score,'' Martin said. ''Last year, I didn't have to. Early this year, I didn't have to. Now, I feel like we need me to step up my game.''

Here's what Martin did in one three-minute spurt in the first half:

• Made the jumphook over Fred Williams who, at 6-foot-8 and 215 pounds to Martin's 6-8 and 230, plainly couldn't handle him.

• Hit two free throws after driving the lane.

• Made the turnaround jumper in the lane.

• Blocked Williams' shot, resulting in D'Juan Baker's three from the right wing and a 34-21 Bearcat lead.

That was fairly that. UAB was competent in spurts, but not enough to keep the game amusing.

When Martin wasn't slicing the zone, Baker was. Baker went deep three times in the first half, including consecutive threes that broke things open with about four minutes left. He finished with five treys.

''If somebody was going to come out with his hands down, I was shooting,'' Baker said of those trying to guard him. ''If their hands were up, I was going by them.''

Regardless, the Bearcats came at UAB in waves. Bobby Brannen and Ruben Patterson combined for just four shots in the first half, and two field goals, yet UC led by 13. Michael Horton had 10 assists. Baker made 9-of-13 shots.

UAB has won 20 games this winter, a tribute to a mediocre league and creative scheduling. But the Blazers are better than anybody UC will see in the NCAA Tournament's first round.

The conference tournament is no time to find attitude, but it's a great place to perfect it. The Bearcats are playing with confidence. You can see it. A season rough edges is starting to smooth. Who knows, maybe the rough edges helped. Coach Bob Huggins' best teams assume his personality; this team is working at it.

Said Martin, ''I play every game like it's my last.''

At the moment, so are his teammates.

Martin has averaged 15 points in his last nine games, without losing any of his defensive push. He had three blocks Friday night. He intimidated UAB's inside people until it no longer mattered.

''I save my energy sometimes for the defensive end,'' he said. ''But this is March, and I can't be saving anything now.''

Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty welcomes your comments at 768-8454.

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