Smutny Leads Hornets Over Tractors in OT

The varsity boys basketball team moved to 2-0 on the season with a 67-61 overtime win over Dearborn Fordson in the Hornets’ home opener Saturday.

Senior Michael Smutny, the 6’8 , scored  six of his team leading 26 points in overtime to lead the Hornets.

Although the crowd for the rare Saturday night game wasn’t large, it was boisterous, especially as Fordson wiped away Saline’s 12-point edge in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.

Smutny said it was an exciting victory for the Hornets.

“We were playing really well in the first half. In the second half, they started hitting some clutch threes, which disturbed us a little because we thought they were going to be a dribble and driving team,” Smutny said. “Into overtime, with the momentum on their side, we pulled through. I thought that was awesome.”

Saline head coach Matt Seidl said it was an exciting home opener for the fans in the bleachers.

“If you were a fan I think it was exciting. But it was a little stressful for (the coaches). There seems to be a pattern developing here,” said Seidl, whose built a big lead Thursday at Novi only to hang on and win by a narrow margin. “(Fordson) took the lead away from us at the end of the game. It wasn’t like we coughed the ball up. They got extremely hot. Most of their shots were contested.”

Seidl said his team was unselfish with the ball.

“They recognized the matchup advantage with Mike Smutny and we just kept pounding it to him and pounding it too him,” Seidl said.

Smutny also had seven points in the fourth quarter.

Saline held a 45-33 lead after a free throw basket by Garrett Stark (11 points) with 4:50 to play. That’s when Fordson got hot. Hassan Nizam (18 points) and Moussa Harb (11 points) hit back-to-back three pointers to cut into the lead.

Smutny made a couple layups for a 50-46 lead with just under two minutes to play.

Nizam knocked down two more treys sandwiched around a layup and free throw by Saline sophomore Michael Hendrickson (12 points). Stark sank two free throws to give Saline a 55-52 lead with 32.8 seconds to play.  With 3.8 seconds left in regulation, Jawad Hachem sank a three pointer to send it to overtime.

In overtime, the Saline offense focused on getting the ball to Smutny, who couldn’t be stopped without a foul.

Smutny sank two free throws 20 seconds into the extra period. At the 1:02 mark, after a long pass around the permiter, Stark found Smuty in the middle for a layup and a four-point lead.  Fordson’s Ahmad Hamade made made his free throw to complete a three-point play after a layup to cut the lead to one.

Saline senior Kevin Moss (seven points) drained a three pointer to five Saline a 62-58 lead with 1:45 to play.

“It probably wasn’t the shot we wanted, but it was a big basket,” Seidl said.

KC Borseth (eight points) dropped a couple of free throws in and then Moss went 1-for-2 at the line for a 65-58 lead with 59 seconds to play.

Smutny, who has added a lot of muscle to his 6’8 frame since last season, was expected to play a key role on the Hornets. But with Derek Owings out with a knee injury and Reece Dils out with a foot injury, Smutny has become the focal point of the offense.