Martinez Nets 34 Points in Vikings' Victory

SALEM, Mass. – In only his second game back this season, Nicholas Martinez (Revere, Mass.) erupted for 34 points, leading the Vikings to an 86-74 victory over Rivier University to boost Salem's record to 2-7 on the season.

Fueled behind Martinez's efficient 34 points on 15-of-23 shooting, Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) followed with 20 points, hitting 5 of 9 from beyond the arc to go along with nine rebounds. Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) added a spark off the bench, scoring 15 points in the victory.

On the other side, Matt Constant (Laconia, N.H.) recorded 21 points and nine rebounds, while Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) added 19 points for the Raiders. Joey Merrill (Derry, N.H.) contributed a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds in the effort.

How it Happened:

• After a back-and-forth start to the game, Rho gave his squad some life with an electrifying dunk that put the Vikings up 20-15 with 12:31 remaining in the first half.
• The Raiders stayed within striking distance, thanks to a pair of triples, before another run from Rho pushed the Vikings ahead 33-26 with just under six minutes left in the half. The Raiders would close the gap to within a point at the four-minute mark, but the Vikings remained composed, finishing the half on a run to take a 41-37 lead into the break.
• The Raiders kept closing the gap to start the second half, pulling within one possession on several occasions before N. Martinez and Merryman took the game over. The Martinez-Merryman duo scored 20 and 17 points, respectively, in the second half to help the Vikings build a lead as large as 15 points at the 2:57 mark, before ultimately securing an 86-74 victory over the Raiders.

Inside the Numbers:

• N. Martinez and Merryman's combined 37 points in the second half matched the total points scored by the Raiders in the same stanza.
• N. Martinez's 34 points is a career-high for the sophomore.

Up Next:

The Vikings are back on the road this Saturday, December 7 when they head to Portland, Maine to take on the University of Southern Maine at 1p.m.