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Heart attack claims ex-Gamecock
Harold Martin, who spent four seasons at USC, was one of the city’s top prep stars
CommentsHarold Martin came along in the early 1980s, when high school basketball in Columbia might have been at its finest. And yet Martin still flourished.
"He could flat-out shoot," said Xavier McDaniel, the former NBA star who was a high school competitor and friend of Martin's.
"As soon as he stepped across half court, that was his range," McDaniel said. "Sometimes we exaggerate, but I tell you, when he came across half court, everyone used to pick him up (defend him)."
Martin, 45, died early Saturday morning of a heart attack. He had been suffering from diabetes and recently had his leg amputated, friends said.
Martin played four seasons at South Carolina, averaging 6.7 points in 112 career games. His best days were at Lower Richland High School.
He was a senior the same year as McDaniel and Tyrone Corbin, who each went on to long NBA careers. But it was Martin who was named the All-Area player of the year in 1981.
McDaniel said he, Martin and Corbin had "a great rivalry, and friendship too." McDaniel recalled going to a local elementary school earlier this year for a career day, where he ran into Martin.
"I was telling the kids, that guy's got my (All-Area) trophy over there," McDaniel said. "We always joked about that."
George Glymph, the longtime coach at Eau Claire High, called Martin one of the best players to ever come out of Columbia.
At Lower Richland, Martin once scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games, prompting Glymph to declare his team would stop the run and hold Martin under 20.
"We did — he went right through 20 and had 35," Glymph said. "He had one of the best jump shots to come through the city."
The funeral is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at First Nazareth Baptist Church.
"You would never know he had (medical) problems," McDaniel said. "He was always happy. He never really let on how sick he was."
Glymph described Martin as someone who had a constant smile and a jovial attitude.
"One of the kindest persons you'd ever want to see," Glymph said.
Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.
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