UP IN ARMS: Hun School girls’ basketball player Jada Jones puts up a shot in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, senior guard and team captain Jones scored 18 points in a losing cause as Hun fell 51-42 to visiting Mercersburg Academy (Pa.). Jones moved to 989 points in her high school career with her output against the Blue Storm. The Raiders, who dropped to 3-7 with the setback, play at Hightstown on January 16, host Freire Charter School (Pa.) on January 17, play at Hopewell Valley on January 19 and host Nottingham on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Jada Jones knows that she has to be the offensive catalyst for the Hun School girls’ basketball team.

“If my shot is not falling, it is hard,” said Hun senior guard and two-time team captain Jones. “I try to make sure that everyone is involved. You feel better when you are scoring.”

Last Saturday again visiting Mercersburg Academy (Pa.), Hun fell behind 10-6 and Jones started hitting shots, tallying eight points in the second quarter as the Raiders found themselves down 23-18 at the half. Jones chipped in seven points in the third and hit a bucket early in the fourth to draw Hun to within 36-34. But the Blue Storm responded with an 11-1 run to pull away to 51-42 win.

“It has been a long week for us, we have been having games back to back,” said the 5’8 Jones, who ended up with 18 points in the game as the Raiders dropped to 3-7.

“It was a rough one; I think we came out a little bit flat. If we would have started off with a better first quarter showing, it would not have been so bad.”

The Raiders showed their battling spirit as they kept pushing to the final horn despite a double-digit deficit.

“It is just something in us,” said Jones. “We are going to play hard no matter what, even we were down 51-40 something we were still playing,”

Playing hard over the last three years for Hun has Jones on the verge of a special milestone as she ended the Mercersburg game with 989 points in her high school career.

“For me, it is a great thing especially since I would be the first one since 2007 at Hun,” said Jones, referring to Emily Gratch, who followed up her superb Hun career by starring for the Lehigh women’s hoops program. “That is something that everyone wants to do but not everyone can.”

As Jones heads down the stretch of her Hun career, she is determined to keep everybody on track.

“Basketball is not the main sport for many of us, only for a couple; so it is ‘OK we are here, we have to make the best of it,’” said Jones, who will to help Hun pick up some wins as it plays at Hightstown on January 16, host Freire Charter School (Pa.) on January 17, play at Hopewell Valley on January 19 and host Nottingham on January 21.

“We are going to play hard, we are going to have a little fun with it but we are also going to be serious about it. There is going to be a balance.”