Harvard's rookie marksman aims high

The Boston skyline stands in sharp contrast to the flat farmlands of southern New Jersey. The din of the streets, bustling with business, replaces the scenic quiet of his hometown of Medford.

To freshman Zach Martin, going to Harvard is more than simply a venture up the interstate into the heart of New England for a four-year sojourn. To Martin, coming to Harvard marks the end of one way of life and the beginning of another.

“I was living in a farm town,” Martin says of his childhood. “The closest shopping mall was 25 minutes away. The closest movie theater was 20 minutes away. [Now] just going out into the busy streets [with] malls and shops … It’s really a contrasting environment.”

A highly-touted forward from Shawnee High School in New Jersey, Zach Martin is deceivingly disarming. With a crooked smile and a sheepish grin, Martin betrays the image of a boy on Christmas morning.

But don’t be fooled. A tenacious rebounder in high school, Martin is perhaps most well known for his long-range game, having led the Shawnee Renegades to a state championship his junior year on the strength of his marksmanship.

Born into a family for which basketball was a natural progression of crawling and walking, Martin was introduced to the game at an early age. His father and two sisters, Amy and Liz, all played basketball. In particular, fond memories of cheering on Amy—who played hoops at Georgia Tech before going overseas to play professionally in Denmark—inspired tbe younger siblings to love the game.

With this love came a rivalry that Martin still remembers.

“My sister [Liz] was three years older than me,” Martin said. “We always played one on one. There were some wars. She was older than me, bigger than me. [They were] good games.”

At Shawnee, despite missing an entire year to injury, Martin graduated as the fourth all-time leading scorer in school history. He ranks behind such impressive alumni as the Earl brothers, Dan and Brian, and Malik Allen, currently the starting power forward for the Miami Heat.

But the crossover from the high school game into the college game has been a challenge. The varying system of play has forced Martin to make a number of adjustments to his game.

“In high school, we didn’t have one set play at all,” Martin said. “But here, everything’s set. There are specific spots you’re supposed to be. The transition has been tough. But I think I’m staring to learn it.”

Harvard captain Brady Merchant has noted Martin’s progression.

“Zach is a hard worker,” Merchant said. “He’s been working hard to try to pick everything up. At this point, three weeks into our practices, he’s really starting to find his niche. … He came in a little timid, but … he’s relaxed and he’s going to be a guy who can really shoot the ball for us.”

If Martin develops into the shooter that the Crimson envisioned when they recruited him, Harvard may have found a solution for the large holes in its offense. Last year, senior Patrick Harvey, who finished second in the league in scoring, accounted for an inordinate share of the Harvard offense.

Harvey sees the upside of Martin and his fellow freshmen teammates.

“They’re playing pretty well,” Harvey said. “It took them about a week or two to get the hang of things, but they’re coming along nicely. I think some of them are going to get the chance to make a big contribution to the team.”

And, oh, what of those driveway wars?

“Once we got into middle school, things started to change,” Martin chuckles. “I got bigger and stronger. She started winning less and got more frustrated.”