WILLING LEARNER: Hun School boys’ basketball player Will Kelly looks for an opening in a game this season. Senior center Kelly’s defensive prowess and development on the offensive end of the court helped the Raiders go 14-12 this winter. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

For the Hun School boys’ basketball team, the 2011-12 season turned into a roller-coaster ride.

Working some new players into the rotation, the Raiders took their lumps as everyone got on the same page, hovering around the .500 mark for much of the winter.

But Hun found its stride late in the season, putting together an 8-2 stretch heading into the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) title game. The Raiders fell to the Blair Academy in that contest and then lost to the Buccaneers days later in the state Prep A semis to end the winter at 14-12.

In assessing the campaign, head coach Jon Stone acknowledged that it wasn’t always smooth sailing.

“It took us a long time to figure out what we were good at and for us to jell,” said Stone.

“We had some of our best games after losses which showed that the team had resolve. Until our last two games, we won eight of 10 which is a good stretch for anybody.”

Stone credited the team’s core of seniors with helping Hun come together.

“All five of them showed leadership,” said Stone, whose group of seniors included Rashid Epps, Bo McKinley, Will Kelly. Bobby Ganges, and Dapo Lana.

“They made a difference on the younger players and they made it fun for the coaches.”

Epps and McKinley made a big difference for the Raiders, providing the team with a potent inside-out punch.

“Epps was our most consistent player; we depended on him to score, get rebounds and steals,” asserted Stone.

“He was second in scoring and first in rebounds and steals. He always played hard. Bo struggled in the beginning but towards the end he was as good as any guard around. He had the ability to shoot and make big shots. He did most of our ballhandling which is tough on our league.”

The trio of Kelly, Ganges, and Lana brought good things to the table. “We were a different team with Kelly on the floor; he was such a good defensive player,” added Stone.

“He continued to grow and make progress offensively. Bobby was our sixth man from the start. He did a lot for us and really understood his role. In some games he came in and settled us down. In others, he came in and gave us a spark. Dapo brought it everyday in practice. He pushed the first team and helped make them better.”

The Raiders are bringing back a core of players in Fergus Duke, Grant MacKay, and David Li who give the program a solid foundation going forward.

“Duke and MacKay started all year and both had good seasons,” said Stone. “Li improved as much as anyone. He came all the way across the world from China; he understands the game and our plays better. He plays hard and he likes to compete; the guys embraced him.”

Despite the ups and downs, Stone embraced his guys this winter. “It was a great team to coach,” said Stone, pointing to wins over Trenton Catholic and MAPL foes Lawrenceville, Peddie and Hill as highlights of the season. “The leadership was good and the players were accountable.”