by Austin Marsman

The Martin boys’ basketball team Friday night improved to 7-10 overall, and 4-7 in the SAC Lakeshore Division after beating Lawrence 54-40.

Out of the gate, Martin brought fury to the court against the Tigers, leading 15 to 2 after one period and 32 to 12 at the half.

The second half proved to be more challenging for the Clippers, as Lawrence rallied to close the margin. Defensive efforts and a solid scoring routine kept Martin on top.

Alex Hardy continued to perform well for Martin, posting 16 points. Junior Carter Hilton contributed 9 and Canton Vandenberg counted 6.

The Clippers have one more week of regular season play, facing Potter’s House Tuesday and Galesburg-Augusta Thursday. Then, it’s on to districts, where they’ll have home court advantage as they battle Kalamazoo Phoenix (0-9) in round one.

(Photos by Austin Marsman)

COVER PHOTO: Martin varsity basketball coach Ryan Moelker surveys the action during his team’s victory over Lawrence.