Having been at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for a total of five seasons, Martynas Bareika has been associated with the basketball program for a total of 157 games, including a redshirt season in 2010-11. Tonight will be the 82nd time that he’s sat on the UTC bench at McKenzie Arena, and while he’s seen both highs and lows, he thinks he hasn’t experienced his best moment — yet.
“Hopefully my best moment is still coming,” the 6-foot-5 Lithuanian said Thursday. “I want to go to the NCAA tournament.”
Bareika, along with fellow seniors Lance Stokes and Ronrico White, will be honored this evening before the Mocs’ game against East Tennessee State at 8. The three have been a part of 61 victories in their four-year playing careers.
UTC’s Lance Stokes (3) tries to rebound the ball with Western Carolina’s James Sinclair during the Mocs’ game against the Catamounts on Jan. 8, 2015, at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga.They’ve been a versatile group. Bareika committed to UTC in July of 2010 and was slated to be a point guard. Since then, he’s moved from the wing and now plays the 4. White has alternated between both guard positions, while Stokes has spent time on the perimeter and on the interior.
They endured two losing seasons and a subsequent coaching change but have been relevant in the Southern Conference championship race since.