At halftime of Tuesday's game against Detroit Lincoln-King, it seemed like the Saline varsity basketball team was about to fall to 0-2.
The Hornets were down 23-10 against a big, stronger and more experienced team. But the Hornets came with nothing to lose in the second half and pulled off a stunning comeback, winning 38-35.
Freshman Noah Kronberg, who scored nine points and was six-for-six from the stripe, knew the Hornets would prevail.
"It came down to heart. We knew they were bigger than us, taller than us, stronger than us. We talked about it all day and we just said, 'We've gotta fight," Kronberg said. "During halftime we said we've gotta turn the switch and just go. We've got nothing to lose and we just gotta play."
Play they did.
Coach Mike Marek, who won his 50th game as Saline head coach, said he wanted to slow down the game and muck it up. And it worked for a while, but the game started getting away from Saline in the second quarter.
Down 23-10 at halftime, the Hornets were different team in the third quarter.
"I think we grew up today. For our young guys to find a way to battle, I'm so proud of them. They were just were just doing the right things to win - rebounding, taking the right shots," Marek said. "Our guys didn't want to lose. I saw the look on their faces. They were fired up."
Marek reminded the team they were only down 13 points.
"Our guards stepped up. They handled the pressure and they weren't intimidated," Marek said. "They showed a lot of poise to beat a senior-led team. That says a lot about the potential of this team."
The "muck it up" strategy held Lincoln King in check. The game was scoreless for more than four minutes before Lincoln-King scored. Saline tied the game with two points from the stripe by Chris Cotuna (seven points). Lincoln-King hit a three.
Jack McFarlane made Saline's first field goal, a long jumper to get Saline within one, but the Eagles made a basket to take a 7-4 lead.
The Eagles hit two threes to go up 13-4 early in the second.
Saline climbed chipped at the lead with baskets by Gabe Iadipaolo (nine points and 15 rebounds) and Chris Cotuna (7 points). The Eagles put up the next three baskets and had a 21-8 lead
Brady Costigan made a short jumper but the Eagles hit a couple of free throws and led 23-10 at halftime.
The third quarter started with three statement baskets.
First, Cotuna scored two driving the lane and made his free throw.
Then Kronberg made a three-pointer.
And then Iadipaolo made the basket that symbolized the second-half effort. He ripped a rebound out of the hands of an Eagle as he fell and passed to a teammate. The Hornets' shot bounced off the rim. Iadipaolo got up, beat his man for positioning, and put back the rebound. Saline was down 25-18 - but the confidence surged.
Jack McGovern (four points) traded baskets with an Eagle. Kronberg made a couple of free throws. Saline was down 28-22.
Saline was back in the game. Saline was attacking the basket with confidence.
The fourth began with Leo Sotiropoulus (seven points - all in the fourth) hitting a three to put Saline within three. The Eagles replied with four points to go up 32-27.
Saline replied with a six-point run to take its first lead of the game. First Kronberg hit two free throws and then Iadipaolo made back-to-back baskets.
The Eagles scored to regain the lead but Sotiropoulos scored a long jump shot to put Saline up 35-34. The Eagles tied the game with 1:37 to play.
Iadipaolo put the Hornets up for good with a shot from the free-throw line. The Hornets got the ball back and Kronberg made two more free throws.
The Hornets and their fans celebrated the win.
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