It was a learning experience for a very young Saline basketball team in the season opener Tuesday night when the Hornets fell to Plymouth 57-49 in overtime.

The Hornets have just one player returning from last years team had has a roster with three sophomores and three freshmen so a majority of the team will be learning on the fly this season as they gain varsity experience.

The young Hornets looked anything but that early Tuesday night when they jumped out to a 19-8 lead after one quarter.

Freshman Noah Kronberg hit a pair of triples and Chris Cotuna, the lone player back from last years squad added five points in the quarter to spark Saline.

Saline continued to hold a comfortable lead in the second with a Cotuna basket and a pair of hoops from freshman Brady Costigan to hold a 29-18 lead at the half.

Cotuna opened the second with a steal and breakaway dunk to push the lead to 12, but Plymouth began to chip away at the lead.

The Rocks cut the lead to one late in the third, but a Kronberg basket and a Cotuna buzzer-beater pushed the lead back to five 42-37 after three.

Saline tried to hold on but Plymouth took its first lead of the night with three minutes left in the fourth.

Gabe Iadipaolo put the Hornets back on top48-47 with 1:16 lead and Leo Sotiropoulos split a pair of free throws with 29 seconds left for a 49-47 lead.

The Rocks tied it up with a rebound putback with ten seconds left and a Hornets shot at the buzzer bounced away sending the game into overtime tied at 49.

Saline went cold in the overtime period, not making a shot, including going 0-4 from the free thrown line, while the Rocks sank six free throws in the extra session to pull away for the eight points win.

Cotuna scored a team-high 14 points, while Sotiropoulos, Jack McFarlane, and Kronberg scored eight each.

Costigan added six points, Iadipaolo four, and Becker Samaha one.

Saline returns to action Tuesday night when they host Detroit King Academy.

Photos by Mike Williamson