One of my favorite players in greater Cincinnati to watch, Martin plays his heart out every time he steps on the court. Since I last watched him, Martin has put on some weight and is even tougher to stop at the rim. Combine that strength with craftiness while attacking the rim and soft touch and you get an incredibly efficient paint scorer for a 6’1 guard. Martin creates such a high percentage of Loveland’s offense as he’s usually either scoring or assisting their buckets. You won’t find many tougher high school guards and Martin should be at the top of small college recruiting boards as well as on the radar of scholarship programs.

One of the most productive guards in southwest Ohio, Martin finished 4th in the ECC in scoring and 3rd in steals as a junior. His ability to beat defenders off the dribble and score using pull-up mid-range shots or get all the way to the basket makes him a tough cover. His high effort defensively forces turnovers which help create easy transition opportunities. I have noticed more play-making ability from Martin at the grassroots level and think that aspect of his game could go to the next level as a senior. Productive guard that D2/NAIA/D3 programs across the region should monitor.

Martin and his Midwest Basketball squad made quick work of their opponents this weekend going 4-0. The engine to their offense, Martin did an excellent job helping his team get easy buckets either for himself or his teammates. Transition is such an easy way to score and Martin split time streaking down the court for layups and making outlet passes so his teammates could get easy looks. I was impressed with how Martin moved without the basketball in the half-court, moving around the 3-point line to spot-up and also curling off screens to get downhill. One of the top guards in the Cincinnati area, Martin has continued to impress and should get a lot of small college interest this summer.

Martin has gotten better as the season has progressed and he started February with 20 or more points in four of his first five games of the month. That boosted him into the top 5 in the ECC in scoring as his efficiency has stood out by shooting over 50% from the floor this season. I’ve been a fan of the competitiveness Martin shows on the court and his ability to be a secondary attacker while being efficient can translate to the college level. If Martin can cut down on some turnovers as a senior, he’ll continue to boost his stock.

After a slow start, Loveland came back and got a gritty win over a tough Preble Shawnee squad. A three quarter court shot to end the third quarter sparked a fourth quarter run that happened with Martin on the bench. I however picked him as my standout due to Martin keeping Loveland afloat for a large majority of the game. A guard who can attack off secondary actions, Martin picks his spots to attack and scores efficiently at the rim. Also a capable shot maker from 3-point range, Martin makes shots and makes the extra pass when it’s open. I expect Martin to get a lot of small college interest due to the way he plays the game.

My first time watching Martin and he was really impressive as he helped lead Loveland back from a near 20 point deficit to take the lead, before eventually falling in a fun battle with Tri Village. Martin passed it at a high level, with multiple transition dimes off defensive rebounds. A quick straight line athlete, Martin was able to get downhill and beat his primary defender off the dribble. His strength was also apparent with multiple and-1 finishes at the rim. I also thought Martin played hard on both ends and was flying around on the court. Expect Martin to be one of the top scorers in the ECC this winter.

For most teams, the point guard dictates the way the team plays. That is no different with the Phenom United 16U Gold team Martin plays for. He is a very fast player with quick hands. He has great anticipation and has multiple steals. He shares the ball well and makes sure everyone gets theirs. He hustles a lot too and takes advantage of your laziness every single time.