The Saline Hornets and the Arbor Prep Gators faced off against each other at the Airport Showcase. It’s been the story of two different teams, as the Hornets entered the game at 2-3 and the Gators at 6-1. The Hornets would sting early and often, taking down the Gators by a final of 57-37.
Arbor Prep Gators
Too Many Bad Shots
The Gators started with bad shots during their warm-ups, and they continued into the game. While they kept the bad shots to a minimum in the first half, the bad shot selection came back in the second half as they started to jack up the three-ball like it was going out of style. They had success when they were driving to the rim, but once they went away from that, it was a bad night for the Gators.
Saline Hornets
Young and Hungry
The Saline Hornets are a very young team that is hungry to win. The Hornets have a roster that boasts a combined seven sophomores and freshmen. Those players were vital in the win over the Arbor Prep Gators, and that is impressive as they returned no one who scored a single point for the team a year ago. Junior Chris Cotuna, sophomore Leo Sotiropulos, and freshmen Noah Kronberg and Brady Costigan led the way for the team in this one, and they will be the driving force for the Hornets in the next few years.
Deadly Trio
While it’s not the same as having the likes of Jonathan Sanderson, Lincoln Keyes, and Tommy Carr, the Saline Hornets have a trio they can develop for the next three to four years. The trio we’re referring to is the likes of Leo Sotiropulos, Noah Kronberg, and Brady Costigan. The three players combined for 39 of the team’s 57 points. The high point-getter was the freshman Noah Kronberg, who scored 14. While Kronberg will develop into an elite shooter in due time, fellow freshman Brady Costigan caught our eye with his movement on the court. The 6’3 freshman also plays wide receiver, and you can see that with how he moved without the ball.
The most impressive player on the court for the Hornets was sophomore Leo Sotiropulos. Sotiropulos was able to do a little bit of everything, and that made the difference in the game. Early in the game, Sotiropulos was the team’s primary scorer, but as the game went on, he turned into the team’s facilitator, finishing the game with a team-high five assists.
The three players have three more years together, and if they continue to develop together, they will make some noise in the state.