His Biggest Critic Is Waiting at Home : Basketball: Regardless of how well he has played, Santa Monica College’s Craig Martin knows his dad will have a few words of advice.

Santa Monica College guard Craig Martin has not had to deal with much criticism this basketball season.

After all, the 6-foot-3 sophomore may be the best player on one of the best community college teams in the state.

His versatility from the off-guard position has been a key to the Corsairs’ success. With the playoffs beginning Feb. 27, Santa Monica (22-6) is ranked No. 8 in the state.

The Corsairs clinched the Western State Conference title with one game remaining. They are 8-0 in league play.

Martin is among team leaders in several statistical departments. He is averaging 14 points, five rebounds and four assists a game.

“We have a real balanced team,” Coach John McMullen said. “But it is clear that John has developed into an outstanding player for us.”

Martin has caught the attention of several Division I colleges, including New Mexico, New Mexico State and Oregon.

However, when Martin returns to his family’s house in Baldwin Hills, he must face his toughest critic: his father, James Martin.

“He taught me and my older brothers how to play the game. He knows my game better than anyone,” Martin said.

James Martin is not your average father concerned about his son’s play. He’s more like a father who is also a coach and a player himself.

James Martin, 6-2, coached his three sons’ recreational youth teams for years. He taught them the fundamentals of the game. His two oldest sons went on to play football at Division I colleges.

James Martin, 46, still plays basketball. For the past 10 years he has competed in the Los Angeles-area post office league.

“I’m not as active as I used to be, but I still play a little bit,” he said. “It’s just that now, I like to get out and watch the boys play a little bit more than play myself.”

That’s why Martin respects his father’s comments, even after he scores 30 points in a game.

“He sees things that no one else does,” Martin said. “Every once in a while he still goes out on the court and shows me stuff that I’m doing wrong.”

James Martin acknowledges that he is tough on his son.

“I just see more potential coming out of him,” he said. “I’ve seen him make great progress, but as a father, I’m always going to expect more of him.

“I’ve told him that I’ve watched him from the beginning and I know his style and I have a better handle on his game than anyone else.”

Martin had always been an inside post player with great jumping ability, even at St. Monica High. He continued to play inside his first season at Santa Monica, then redshirted and worked on his outside game.

“In order for him to move on to a Division I program, we knew that he would have to start facing the basket from outside,” McMullen said. “He did well for us when he played inside as a freshman, but we had to take advantage of all of his skills.”

It has turned out to be a good move.

“I had always sacrificed myself to play inside for the team,” Martin said. “I used to play out on the wing whenever I played pickup games, but until this season, I had never played there in a game.”

Santa Monica has prospered in part because of Martin’s ability to post up against smaller guards.

“Martin had a little problem at first deciding when to shoot, pass or drive to the basket,” McMullen said. “But, now he seems to have it all together. He plays with more patience now.”

Santa Monica, which holds the only victory over Ventura, the state’s No. 1-rated community college team, is a team opponents fear because of its balance.

McMullen, who is 310-172 in 15 years at Santa Monica, considers this team among his best.

“But, I can’t call it the best until the end when all the dust settles,” McMullen said. “But we’ve been pretty consistent all season.”

The only thing left for Martin and the Corsairs is to win the state title. And he knows that if he needs a few pointers, he can always go home.

“Yeah, if I’m doing something wrong, I know that Dad will show me,” he said, laughing. “As long as it isn’t a one-on-one game, because I can beat him now.”