Returning to his native Lithuania for the summer, sophomore guard Martynas Pocius did more than just enjoy some home cooking over the break.
Pocius trained with the Lithuanian Under-20 National Team and led the squad by averaging 20 points per game and shooting 55.4 percent from the field at the 2006 Ostchem Under-20 European Championship.
The experience and extra playing time was especially valuable for Pocius after receiving limited playing time during his freshman season.
"It was a good experience," Pocius said. "Playing a lot with the coaches trusting you and kind of gaining that edge that [head coach Mike Krzyzewski] wanted from me-I could be that guy on the court, leading my team and working on my habits, my shot and defense."
After playing behind J.J. Redick and averaging only 6.1 minutes per contest last season, Pocius's role on the 2006-2007 team was unclear going into the offseason.
But Krzyzewski told Pocius that he could help fill the void left by the loss of Redick and Shelden Williams if he continued working on his shot and becoming the kind of gritty guy that dives for loose balls and takes it to the hole, Pocius said.
"Last year, he played behind J.J., who was playing a ton of minutes," assistant coach Chris Collins said. "We knew that he needed game experience, and going home allowed him to get some more games under his belt."
After returning from abroad, Pocius has shown in practice that he has not only improved in the aforementioned areas but has also benefited from competing in the European style of basketball.
As opposed to the American style which typically focuses on the one-on-one game and set offensive schemes, the European game usually is more up-tempo and involves more of the players on the floor.
"The European game is more teamwork in which we run a lot of plays that are not for just a couple guys, but from every play you get a lot of action and possibilities," Pocius said. "It differs a little bit from playing here, but it was good for me because I get the experience of both."
Aside from playing basketball, going home allowed Pocius to spend time with his family and friends. Pocius grew up in Vilnius, Lithuania and attended school there. Before his junior year, however, Pocius transferred to the Holderness School in New Hampshire and led his team to back-to-back New England Prep School Class C titles.
Although Pocius has enjoyed his time in America, the trips home are invaluable.
"He was able to get back to his environment," Collins said. "You can't forget about how important it is for him to see his family and spend time with them. And by going home to Lithuania, he was able to do that."
Since returning to the United States with a season under his belt, Pocius is no longer the starry-eyed newcomer. On a squad full of freshmen talent, Pocius has the opportunity to guide the newcomers based on what he learned and the confidence he developed during his first year.
"We have a lot of young guys," Pocius said. "It's definitely different this year because I have to take a more leadership role where you help the younger guys so that they adjust quicker than we did last season."
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