The boys’ Varsity basketball team at Meridian High School has been off to a stellar start this fall, winning each of its first three games and scoring at least 70 points in all of them. They welcomed Trinity Christian to town on Tuesday night looking to stay perfect, and led by point guard Daylen Martino, the Mustangs quickly went to work.
Trinity scored the game’s first basket but Martino hit back-to-back triples to put the home team up 6-2, a lead Meridian expanded to 14-6 after a quarter. Then with the visitors still hanging within single digits late in the second period, Martino went on a solo 8-0 run that consisted of a three-pointer, a successful and-one three-point play, and an inbounds steal leading to a layup, to put the Mustangs ahead 34-17. He scored 18 first half points in all, only one fewer than Trinity’s total score of 19, and then picked up right where he left off after the break. His fourth three-pointer of the game gave Meridian a 42-21 lead early in the third, and from that point on the Mustangs were in cruise control. They led 51-29 after three, and then with mostly reserves playing the final quarter, won by a final tally of 68-37.
Billy Asel (12) and Isaac Rosenberger (10) joined Martino (21) in double figures, while nine players in total scored for the Mustangs, who are still without the services of starting center Grant Greiner and sharpshooter Will Davis. Their next test will be on Friday when they play Warren County, once again at home.