The Martin girls’ varsity basketball team improved its overall season record to 3-1 Friday night with a 48-43 verdict over Coloma.

The Lady Clippers led throughout the contest by small margins, 13-7 after the first quarter, 23-21 at intermission and 37-36 at the end of three periods.

Gracie Shettler led Martin with 18 points and Makala Goddard added 15.

“It was a game full of diving for loose balls and tieups,” remarked coach Ben Schipper. “Coloma kept fighting and packed in a pretty tight 2-3 zone on us. We didn’t shoot from outside very well, which is definitely a strength of ours, so it was good for us to see that we have to find ways to win from the inside too.

“I was glad we were able to come out on top while not playing our best basketball. A win is a win and there were some positives to take away.”

The coach said Lynsey Jager was very aggressive on the offensive glass. She had to have had at least 10 rebounds on offense alone.

He added that Liz Reinke was aggressive early, scoring two quick buckets and played solid defense on their point guard down the stretch.

Gracie found a way to score 18 while she wasn’t shooting the three as well as she can, and sealed the game with two clutch free throws to go up 5 at the end of the fourth. Makala enjoyed 15 points on her birthday making four threes.