Athlete Of The Week: Zach Martin

HARWICH – Zach Martin has been an offensive engine and a leader as the Monomoy boys basketball team turned their season around.

A senior guard and three-year varsity player, Martin contributed 28 points in an 64-53 overtime win against Nauset on Jan. 16 and 23 points in a 69-49 win against Dennis-Yarmouth on Jan. 20. Bolstered by Martin’s performances, those two games lifted Monomoy (4-7) out of an 0-6 pit to begin the season.

“I’ve just been trying to play hard and just focus on the game, and then my scoring and stuff usually comes with that, so it's what I usually try to focus on, and helps me play my best,” Martin said.

Not only is Martin the leading scorer for the Sharks on certain nights, he handles the ball 75 percent of the time and often is asked to not come out of the game.

“He gets us into our offense, and then he's just been feeling it with his outside shot,” head coach John McCarthy said. “He's great finishing around the basket in transition, so we've just been super proud of his development, even off the floor.”

Martin has developed from a role player for Monomoy into a full-fledged leader as a senior who guides the younger players on the team. He knows he can’t display a bad attitude around his teammates and keeps his own emotions in check to set that example, even when it’s hard. He’s been playing in the Monomoy basketball system since he was a third grader.

“For someone that's been somewhat quiet over the last couple of years and maybe frustrated with his role, he's now coming in here and engaged, motivated, bright-eyed, just a leader,” McCarthy said.