Once in a great while a player like Edwardsburg’s Josh Kozinski comes along.

Kozinski can do it all. He is a great outside shooter, solid rebounder and defender and makes everyone around him better.

Kozinski, who will continue his basketball career at Central Michigan next year, set the Eddies’ all-time scoring mark as he poured in 34 points to pass Kevin Marvel’s mark of 1,340.

Kozinski is currently averaging 22.9 points per game for 12-4 Edwardsburg.

The record is great, but according to veteran coach Dan Gunn, Kozinski is so much more than that.

“I’ve had some pretty good players in my time and as I run those through my mind, I have had some who could score on pretty much anybody,” said Gunn, who coached 32 years in Indiana before taking the Edwardsburg job. “But they all have one thing in common. They have a love for the game and it was their fathers who usually are the ones who got them started.

“Comparing players is difficult for anybody because they all played a different type of game, but Josh is certainly one of the best leaders I have had. He leads with his actions on the floor and by the example he sets for the rest of the team. He spends a lot of time practicing and encourages others to do that same.”

Kozinski is the area’s second leading scorer averaging over 21 points per game. He is also the team’s leading rebounder and is second on the team in assists.

“He is willing to set somebody up and give the ball up for the assist,” Gunn said. “He is not just a scorer. He leads us in rebounding and is second in assists. Those are categories that are sometimes left behind when you read about players in the media. He is also a great free throw shooter, shooting 83 percent from the line.”

Gunn admitted that Kozinski will shoulder most of the load the rest of the season as the Eddies look to earn a championship in the West Division and make a run in the state tournament.

“He is a dominating player,” Gunn said. “We look for Josh for so many things. Our other players are learning that the opponents over play Josh and that has given them an opportunity to score, which gives us more players near double digits than we have had in the past.”