Wallace State's Martin reaches 1000 point plateau

Wallace State's Martin reaches 1000 point plateau

HANCEVILLE, ALA. –  Sophomore Imari Martin had already etched her spot among the top players in Wallace State women's basketball history prior to Sunday's game against Southern Union.

She added to the docket on Sunday, surpassing the 1,000-point mark in less than two full seasons with the Lady Lions. Martin scored a game-high 34 points in a 91-51 victory, highlighting a doubleheader sweep over Southern Union at Tom Drake Coliseum on sophomore day.

Martin entered the game needing 33 points to reach the 1,000-point mark. The Hazel Green product scored 20 of her 34 points in the second half, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Her layup with less than 20 seconds remaining sealed the historic basket. Martin's the first Lady Lion to reach the 1,000-point mark since Tamika Dukes during the 2005-06 season.

"It's a hard and impressive feat, especially in junior college basketball. We knew Imari would reach the milestone this week, and she turned it on in the second half. Imari's an unselfish player and you can see that by her leading the conference in assists. She plays the game the right way and is an absolute joy to coach. I'm extremely proud of her," said Wallace State women's coach Jessica McBrayer.

Martin, a four-time Alabama Community College Player of the Week, leads the conference in both points (22.8 per game) and assists (5.2). She also averages five rebounds per game.

Martin made five 3-pointers in Sunday's win, adding four steals and three assists. While enjoying a comfortable fourth-quarter cushion, Martin's teammates made sure she had the ball throughout the fourth quarter.

"It's very exciting to me. It wouldn't be possible if not for my teammates trusting in me to take big shots and my coaches calling plays for me," Martin said. "I love playing for this team. We have a great bond on and off the court, and that helps everyone."