IN THE FAST LANE: Hun School boys’ basketball player Niels Lane puts up a shot in a game last season. Sophomore guard Lane figures to be a go-to player for the Raiders this winter. Hun tips off its 2017-18 campaign when it hosts the Haverford School (Pa.) on November 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Although the Hun School boys’ basketball team is welcoming back a solid core of returners, it still has room for growth.

“We are coming along,” said Hun head coach Jon Stone, who guided the Raiders to an 11-15 record last winter. “We have a lot returning but the guys are still young.”

One of the squad’s top young guys is sophomore star guard Niels Lane.

“Niels is looking very good,” said Stone, whose team tips off its 2017-18 campaign when it hosts the Haverford School (Pa.) on November 29. “He has improved a lot, not that he needed to. He has taken his game to the next level.”

Stone is confident that a pair of seniors, Tyler Washington and Lorenzo Spinazzi, will take things to a higher level in the backcourt. 

“Tyler can do so many things for us, there is nothing he can’t do,” said Stone, who will also be using juniors Shamar Florence and Blake Morrisey at guard.

“Most guys can shoot but they can’t dribble or they can rebound but they can’t score. He can literally do everything. Lorenzo has been a swing player for us in the past; he will play some more at the guard spot for us this year.”

In the frontcourt, 6’5 senior Max Gussen figures to do a lot for Hun.

“Max is looking great,” added Stone. “He is very steady and a terrific shooter.”

The Raiders boast some terrific additions in the paint in junior Eric Fleming and sophomore Amir Basma.

“Eric brings a lot of athleticism and length; he is 6’5, 6’6 and gives us some size,” said Stone. “Amir is about 6’7, he brings some good length and some size as well. He has a good sense and feel for the game and real ability to pass as a bigger guy.”

While Stone is confident that the quartet of Lane, Washington, Spinazzi, and Gussen will provide scoring punch, he knows his team will need to be scrappy to enjoy a big season.

“With our schedule, we are going to have teams that are bigger than us,” said Stone. “So the ability to team rebound and team defend are going to be two of the biggest keys, for sure.”