TIPTON, Mo. - New Bloomfield sophomore guard Jalen Martin produced a game-high 34 points to help the top-seeded Wildcats repeat as tournament champions.
Martin knocked down 10 3-pointers as the Wildcats beat the No. 2 seed Smithton Tigers 73-72 to win the 78th-annual Tipton Tournament Saturday night.
"Jalen Martin had the hot hand," New Bloomfield head coach Tim Gilmore said. "A lot of players passed up a good shot to get a great shot for him.
The Wildcats (4-0) took a 22-15 lead after the first quarter and held a 41-29 advantage at halftime. New Bloomfield was outscored 15-12 by Smithton in the third period, but maintained a 53-44 lead.
"Coming into the game, I wasn't sure how our young team would handle a championship-game environment," Gilmore said. "I was excited to see we were not intimated."
Junior forward Jak Kitchens recorded 23 points for the Wildcats, while junior guard Nick Hammann added 12.
Drew Apsher led Smithton with 30 points, while Nate Walsh totaled 16 and Will Tripp contributed 15.
The Wildcats host their Show-Me Conference opener against Fatima at 6 p.m. today.