Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Regina needed a spark.

The Regals trailed Benton Community by six points and had scored just six points in the first seven minutes and 58 seconds of the second quarter.

Michael Martin hit a shot that shifted the game.

Martin buried a corner three-pointer that just beat the halftime buzzer and Regina opened the second half on a 12-2 run on its way to a 55-51 win over Benton Community (0-2) on Thursday in Iowa City.

“That felt great because I wasn’t making a ton of shots before that,” Martin said. “I hit that and I was feeling confident going into the second half and that kind of pumped up our team.”

Martin hit one of his first five shots from the field.

The junior was 1-of-4 from 3-point range when he connected on the three-pointer that got Regina withing 24-21 at the half.

It was the boost Regina needed.

“We are definitely a second half team and we came out of the locker room ready to play,” Martin said. “Shots started falling and we got better looks and got some steals off the press and that really worked out for us.”

Martin scored 11 of his game-high 17 points in the second half, including six during a 12-2 run to open the third quarter as Regina improved to 1-1 on the season.

“He is one of those guys that is capable of scoring,” Regina coach Barry Lehman said. “We just want to be patient and run the offense but he is capable of putting up points and he got us going.”

Benton Community turned a 12-12 game after one quarter into a 22-15 lead with a 10-3 run to start the second quarter.

Martin kept the Regals afloat with a 3-pointer for the only Regina points in the opening six and half minutes of the second quarter.

He then lit a fire under the Regals with his late 3-pointer.

“We knew we were in it we just had to try to take quality shots and then lock down on defense,” Martin said. “We want to get up on people and try to force some turnovers.”

Regina raced out of the half scoring the first six points of the second half to take a 28-24 lead.

Benton Community cut the lead to 28-26 but Martin scored the next four points.

Junior Eddie Petersen and senior Coleton Daniel each had 11 points.

“I think the main thing was our entire team just locked it in,” Petersen said. “We really wanted to push the ball, that’s what our coaches told us and that’s what we did. We didn’t settle for threes, the first half I think we shot too many threes, and we got layups and we just had the energy the entire second half.”

Daniel had nine rebounds and Petersen and Drew Streb each had seven as Regina held a 36-27 rebounding edge.

It feels great to get that first win,” Petersen said. “We know what last year was but starting this year we have a really good team chemistry going on and we feel really good.”

Regina which was 6-16 a year ago travels to Camanche on Friday.

“It feels great to get that first win,” Petersen said. “We know what last year was but starting this year we have a really good team chemistry going on and we feel really good.”

Regina                                        12   9   19  15  –  55

Benton Community              12  12  10  17  –  51

Regina (55) – Eddie Petersen 4-8 3-3 11, Michael Martin 7-14 1-2 17, Coleton Daniel 3-8 2-2 11, Connor Nicpon 1-5 0-1 3, Landis Pietrzak 0-2 0-0 0, John Devery 3-6 2-5 8, Drew Streb 2-4 1-4 5, Totals 20-47 9-17 55.

Benton Community (51) – Owen Tjelmeland 1-5 0-0 2, Noah Franck 5-9 0-0 11, Wyatt Rinderknecht 1-2 0-0 3, Evan Daugherty 4-5 0-0 11, Kolby Wenger 0-1 0-0 0, Cael Kaestner 2-3 0-0 4, Lane Kaestner 1-3 3-5 5, Easton Patterson 0-2 0-0 0, Blake Daugherty 2-6 1-2 5, Derek Steffen 0-2 1-2 1, Quincy Gilbert 1-2 0-0 2, Tim Thompson 2-6 2-2 7, Totals 19-46 7-11 51.

3-point field goals – ICR 6-19 (Petersen 0-2, Martin 2-7, Daniel 3-6, Nicpon 1-3, Pietrzak 0-1), BC 6-18 (Tjelmeland 0-1, Franck 1-3, Rinderknnecht 1-2, E. Daugherty 3-4, C. Kaestner 0-1, Patterson 0-1, B. Daugherty 0-2, Steffen 0-1, Gilbert 0-1, Thompson 1-2). Rebounds – ICR 36 (Daniel 9), BC 27 (Franck 6). Turnovers – ICR 15, BC 13. Total fouls – ICR 10, BC 15. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – Regina (Bench).

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.