Martin's Mill's Archer Schneider against Latexo Monday at Wagstaff Gymnasium. (Michel Alfaro/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Martin’s Mill’s shots weren’t always falling in Monday’s Class 2A Division II bi-district game against Latexo at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

But thanks to 26 offensive rebounds by the Mustangs and forcing 19 Latexo turnovers, No. 1 Martin’s Mill was able open the playoffs with a 74-43 victory over the Tigers.

The Mustangs were 3 of 18 from 3-point range in the first half and 9 of 34 from downtown in the contest. Jak Kinder, who is the all-time Texas record holder for career 3-pointers and entered with 612 made 3-pointers in his career, just shy of former Syracuse and Clemson guard Joseph Girard’s four-year national mark of 618 3-pointers, started 0 of 7 from downtown before making his first one with 5:23 left in the second quarter. He was 1 of 10 from deep in the first half before making three triples in the second half, going 3 of 5 after the break, to give him 616 made threes in his career.

Kinder finished with 16 points.

Ryder Marsh and Archer Schneider led Martin’s Mill with 18 points each. Marsh had 16 rebounds, 12 on the offensive end, and three blocks. Schneider grabbed eight rebounds.

Marsh and Latexo’s Dakota Sherley had the only baskets in the game’s first four minutes as the score was tied 2-2. Latexo didn’t score the remainder of the quarter, and the Mustangs finished the frame on a 14-0 run to lead 16-2.

Sherley’s scoring picked up in the second quarter as he hit a three, was fouled and made the free throw to cut the score to 23-12 with 4:01 on the clock while scoring all 12 of the Tigers’ points. Latexo’s first points from someone other than Sherley came on a Jax Bobbitt steal and layup with 39 seconds left in the half. Sherley then made a layup at the buzzer to cut the Mustangs’ lead to 29-16 at halftime.

Martin’s Mill opened the second half on a 9-0 run. The final points of that run came on a Kinder three as it started four trips down the court where either or Kinder connected from deep with each player making two triples in the stretch. Martin’s Mill led 49-27 after three quarters as Kinder had a tip-in putback at the buzzer.

The Mustangs put the game away for good with a 25-point fourth quarter with Marsh having 10 points and seven offensive rebounds in the final frame.

Other scorers for Martin’s Mill (31-1) were Travis Baber 9; Lex Coker 5; Sawyer Moore 3; Gatlin Mewbourn 3; and Cooper Wright 2. Baber added two blocks and four steals, and Wright had 10 rebounds and three assists.

Sherley finished with 24 points and six rebounds for Latexo (18-18), which was making its first playoff appearance since 2005. Bobbitt had 15 points. MJ Woodard finished with 4 points, nine rebounds and six blocks. Dryden Lehman and Jose Suarez each grabbed eight rebounds.

Martin’s Mill will face Italy in the area round at 6 p.m. Friday at Navarro College’s K. & Ida Wolens Special Events Center in Corsicana.

Italy defeated Moody, 63-57, in bi-district.