RUSTON – Louisiana Tech Men's Basketball head coach Talvin Hester announced Friday the signing of Melian Martinez, a transfer from New Mexico Junior College.
 
Martinez, a 7-foot, 225-pound center from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, appeared in 23 games this past season for the Thunderbirds.  Prior to that, he spent two seasons at St. Bonaventure.
 
"We are excited to welcome Melian to our family in Ruston," said Hester.  "His size, athleticism, and presence on the defensive end of the court is something we needed to fill the shoes left by Daniel Batcho."
 
While battling injuries, Martinez helped the T-Birds to a 23-win season in 2024-25.  He averaged 3.0 points per game while shooting 59.5 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the foul line.  He also averaged 2.9 rebounds per game while total 30 blocks, including 10 games with multiple rejections.
 
He redshirted his first collegiate season with the Bonnies before seeing action in six games during the 2023-24 season.
 
Martinez played his senior year of high school at North Florida Educational Institute in Jacksonville, Florida.  He averaged 8.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game as well as more than four blocks per contest while helping guide the program to a 24-8 record and a spot in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 2A Final Four.
 
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