Back when Ainge outscored UCLA's entire team in the first half of the 1981 NCAA first round win at Providence, R.I., Martin called then-BYU sports information director Dave Schulthess and asked if BYU was sending Philbrick to Atlanta for BYU's NCAA appearance. The answer was no. So, Martin asked if he could get credentials and he'd pay his own airfare, hotel and meals to shoot the game for the university.

Schulthess told Martin to pack his film.

Martin had no idea he'd run into one of the biggest plays in school history, one that has been aired on award shows and highlight parades ever since. Martin's five motor-frame shots of the Ainge drive and score in the closing minutes of the Sweet 16 win over Notre Dame are the only photographs taken by a photographer from Utah. A Sports Illustrated photographer sitting by Martin at that game used a strobe, which limited him to just one still shot of the play.

Martin caught the key series of Ainge's moves and the finishing shot, his finger-roll layup over Orlando Woolridge.

"Woolridge mistimed his jump too late or he'd have blocked the shot," Martin said. "But Woolridge also hit the net and could have been called for goaltending."

Said Martin: "After Ainge made it, I saw him celebrate for a second and then he had the savvy to know there was still time on the clock and he sprinted down to play defense as the buzzer sounded."

As BYU's bench erupted and players ran on the floor, Martin raced in position to get the celebration, and Ainge ran right past him off the court and into the locker room.

"I don't remember that, but I guess I did," Ainge said. "I usually did that."

Five years ago, Sports Illustrated called Martin and purchased his shots for their "Rogaine Hair Raising Finishes." A few months later, one of the officials who refereed that BYU-Notre Dame game saw Martin's photos on that ESPN show and wanted to order some copies. He'd seen himself in the background frame.

Last spring, ESPN called Martin and bought the photos to go with their video segment on the Top 20 All-Time Basketball Finishes, where the Ainge shot was rated No. 6, according to Martin.

Needless to say, Ainge went on to win the John Wooden Award as the college player of the year. Martin has since recouped the expenses he paid out of pocket to go to Atlanta that second week of March in 1981.

"Yeah, it was a tidy little sum," Martin said.

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E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com