Basketball Recap: Luis Vargas' Big Game Can't Quite Lead Notus over Adrian

If Notus was feeling good fresh off their 65-36 takedown of Horseshoe Bend last Friday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Notus Pirates took a 68-57 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Adrian Antelopes on Tuesday. The Pirates were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Antelopes apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in January of 2019.

Several Pirates players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Luis Vargas, who went 6 of 15 on his way to 20 points in addition to six boards and four steals. With that strong performance, Vargas is now averaging an impressive 15.1 points per game. The team also got some help courtesy of Derrick Huter, who went 6 of 8 on his way to 13 points and four steals.

Even though they lost, Notus smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 11 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive rebounds in five consecutive contests.

Notus' defeat dropped their record down to 5-2. As for Adrian, their victory was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-1.

Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Notus and Greenleaf Friends Academy will compete for holiday cheer at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Adrian will take on Grant Union in a holiday battle at at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.