Warhorses drive past Polk County, 69-57, in conference opener
Senior Asante Martin scores 33 in home victory over Wolverines
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
December 12, 2025
The Western Highlands Conference basketball season got underway, Dec. 12, as Owen notched its third straight victory, toppling Polk, 69-57.
While the air outside was cold, a hot shooting performance by senior guard Asante Martin, who finished the contest with 33 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, led the Warhorses at home.
Owen’s leading scorer opened the contest with consecutive 3-point field goals, giving his team an early advantage. Martin and sophomore guard Izaiah O’Neil each finished the first half with 15 points, as the Warhorses held a 31-30 lead.
O’Neil recorded 18 points in the matchup, while senior forward Jackson Warnock added 10, punctuated by a dunk in the second half. Owen, which improved to 7-1 with the victory, extended its lead to 9, early in the third quarter, before pulling ahead by as much as 54-36 to begin the fourth.
Martin’s ability to set the tone from outside early in the night opened up the court for his teammates, according to head coach Joe Valencia.
“That changes everything,” Valencia said of his player’s shooting performance to start the contest. “If you have to guard that guy behind the 3-point line, the night is over. Once he gets going, he’s got the option of going downhill or stepping back. When he is hitting those shots, it’s very hard to guard him.”
The Warhorses were focused on playing fundamentally sound basketball, as they entered conference play, according to Martin.
“Honestly, we were a little sloppy in some of our earlier games, but we wanted to come out here and let the conference know who we are,” he said. “We lost eight players after last season, so a lot of people don’t believe the wins we have, up to this point, are real. So, it was important for us to prove ourselves early.”
Valencia directed his players to give “maximum effort” against Polk.
“I told them to give me everything they’ve got,” he said. “I wanted them win this game on this defensive end, and leave everything on the floor. That’s what they did.”
While the offensive output came from a total of five players, Owen’s youthful core, which includes sophomores O’Neil, LaSalle Jones and Cash Mack, continued to display evidence of growth, the coach added.
“They stepped up,” Valencia said. “Izaiah is coming on strong and shooting really well right now. You can see bits and pieces coming together for all of these guys, which is exactly what we were hoping to see. They all know we have to win on the defensive end.”
Martin’s ability to create offensive opportunities for teammates, shoot from beyond the arc or drive to the basket make his a versatile and consistent option, he added, while Warnock, O’Neil and others convert chances. The senior guard’s performance against Polk included connecting on four of six 3-pointers and converting 9 of his 14 attempts from the free throw line.
“People say when you see that first one go in, it’s kind of automatic, and that was really true tonight,” Martin said. “So, you could see I was able to do a lot of stuff I might not be able to do regularly.”
He also led the Warhorses in assists.
“We all just know we have to commit to our coaches,” Martin said. “We just have to believe in what they’re telling us, come out here each day, put our trust in God and keep working as hard as we can. That team bond is getting stronger everyday.”
Owen will continue a three-game WHC stretch beginning at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16, when they host Avery, before traveling to Mitchell County three days later.
Photos of Owen’s 2025 Western Highlands Conference basketball opener against Polk can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.