Team Preview: Stuart (A)

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Stuart Hornet’s are no stranger to the big moment. In one of last year’s biggest upsets and craziest finishes, they knocked off Ft. Cobb in the first round of the state tournament on a miracle buzzer beater. The Hornets had one of their best seasons ever, finishing the year 26-6.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This season, Stuart brings back their dynamic duo of [player_tooltip player_id="965213" first="Connor" last="Clayton"] and Jared McIntosh. The Hornets will rely on a fast paced style and plenty of points. If they can keep scoring in bunches, they could find themselves right back in the state tournament.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last season, Stuart had an explosive offensive attack as they topped 70 points on five different occasions. In their six losses, they scored more than 60 points only once. This team needs to put up points in a hurry and use their offensive firepower to lead them to victory.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clayton, a junior, is one of the best scorers in the class. In a playoff game last season, he showcased his shooting ability by dropping 36 points in a win. He’s smooth with the ball in his hands and finishes at the rim with ease. Clayton is more than just a shooter as a good amount of his points come in the paint and he uses quick crossovers to drive. When needed though, he’s a more than capable three point shooter and has solid range.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McIntosh is another exciting player for this Hornets squad. He has great vision and he makes the unselfish play. McIntosh can float from the step out to the high post and find open shooters. His best attribute is his passing. McIntosh always makes the right pass and has perfected the dump off when he gets in the lane. He doesn’t necessarily look to shoot, but can knock down threes when he’s open too.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One thing that Stuart is really good about as a team is getting hands in passing lanes. The Hornets cause lots of turnovers and get most of their steals off of deflections and deny defense. Clayton gets plenty of fast break opportunities because of his ability to step up in opposing players passing lanes and take away the first pass.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stuart has a great chance to improve on last year’s 26-6 record plus a trip to the state tournament because of their play style and two stars. With a high paced offense, flashy passing, and knockdown shooters, the Hornets will be a fun team to watch.</span></p>