Albert Martin, a senior forward at Red Bank Regional, collapsed and died at 17 years old during a scrimmage at home against Point Beach on Monday afternoon, according to an official news release by the school.

Albert Martin
Albert Martin (#34 above) collapsed and died at 17 years old at Red Bank Regional's home scrimmage on Monday against Point Beach. (All Shore Media)
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Red Bank head coach Scott Martin said Monday night that Albert Martin, who is no relation to the head coach, played the first six minutes of the game against Point Beach and was on the bench for the final two minutes of the first quarter. He was set to go back into the game to start the second period when he collapsed on the ground. His eyes rolled back into his head and he went into what Scott Martin said looked like a seizure. Paramedics applied a defibrillator on the scene, according to Martin, and then rushed him to Riverview Hospital in Red Bank. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter, according to the news release.

Albert Martin collapsed and died at 17 years old at Red Bank Regional's home scrimmage on Monday against Point Beach.

The scrimmage ended when Martin collapsed, and Scott Martin told the remaining members of his team to return to their homes to be with their families and he would be in contact. The 6-foot-5 forward was a returning starter and looked to be Red Bank's top player this season. Red Bank's ice hockey game against Rumson-Fair Haven on Monday night was postponed after the news of his death.

"I'm numb right now,'' a distraught Martin said. "We just had a tragedy in September where a senior girl died, and now Albert. He had been working so hard to get better, and he was the only senior on our team. We are just devastated right now.''

Albert's mother, who was in attendance at the scrimmage, told Martin that he did not have any pre-existing heart or other medical conditions. The cause of his death is unknown at this time.

Martin and girls basketball head coach James Young were particularly close to Albert, who was raised by a single mother. Young was with his team at a scrimmage at Point Beach when he heard the news.

"He was like a son to me,'' an emotional Young said. "I just saw the kid before I left on the bus and said, 'Play hard today.' He was a likable, good-natured kid."

"Our collective heart breaks for his family, friends and teammates and the entire RBR community,'' school officials said in the release. "RBR’s counselors and crisis management team will be available for all students and staff who seek these services."

Martin's death was felt around the Shore Conference, as he also was a member of the Game 7 Sharks AAU team featuring numerous other Shore standouts.

"I had the pleasure of coaching Albert in AAU the past 3 years,'' Sharks coach Tom Passafaro wrote on Twitter. "Great player but an even greater person."

"Big Al was one of the most sincere kids and an incredible AAU teammate for me; Easily one of the most fun people to be around,'' Colts Neck senior guard and Sharks teammate Brandon Federici tweeted.

 This post also appears on AllShoreMedia.com and is posted here with permission.

 

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