GREAT SCOTT: Hun School boys’ basketball player Jack Scott drives to the basket in a game this season. Senior guard and Princeton University-bound Scott starred as Hun went 14-10, reaching the semifinals of the both Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) tournament and the state Prep A tourney. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Winning eight of 10 games heading into postseason play, the Hun School boys’ basketball team was primed to vie for some titles.

But hampered by injuries to some key players, Hun fell short of a championship run, falling 65-54 to Hill (Pa.) in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) semis and then losing 72-52 to Blair Academy in the state Prep A semis.

In the loss to Hill, Hun didn’t have senior star guard Dan Vessey due to a previous injury and senior standout Jack Scott got hobbled during the contest.

“We competed, it was very physical; we played well enough to win but we didn’t,” said Hun head coach Jon Stone, whose team finished the winter with a 14-10 record.

“We missed Dan and Jack got hurt in that game and wasn’t exactly himself. He could play but he wasn’t his best self for sure.”

Against Blair, a shorthanded Hun squad fought valiantly before the Buccaneers pulled away.

“We knew we didn’t have Jack or Dan for the states but we recognized that we still had enough to win,” said Stone.

“We had time to put guys in different roles that they are not used to and work on that and practice that. We were prepared going into the game for sure. The guys showed that, we were winning at the half. We struggled in the second half, we kind of ran out of gas. A lot of our shots didn’t fall and we were much thinner on the bench than we normally are. They had their full complement of guys so they were shuffling them in and out. We got worn down a little bit.”

Stone rued what might have been if Hun had been able to put its full complement of players on the court.

“When we were healthy we thought we had every chance to win both the states and MAPLs, not to say we would have won it,” said Stone.

“We had every chance in the league. Our only loss was the Blair by three points at home. I think that showed it was anyone’s tournament to win from our end. It was certainly ours to go after.”

The disappointing end, though, didn’t take away from a positive winter.

“I am really happy, it was a really fun group to coach,” said Stone. “We would have loved to have a few back, like always. We tend to play some really tough teams early and that hurt us a little bit as we were still regrouping from the COVID year. Once we got going and got some wins under our belt, that built our confidence a little more too. It was a fun team to coach, a fun team to go into practice every day.”

One of the most fun nights of the season for Hun came when it rallied late to beat Academy of New Church (Pa.) 89-88 on December 16 with Scott hitting a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to provide the margin of victory.

“The ANC game was probably one of the most exciting games I have ever been involved in  as a player or as a coach,” said Stone, noting that the team notched notable wins over Trenton Catholic Prep, Hill, Shipley School (Pa.), and Lawrenceville, among others.

“We scored 13 or 14 points within the last minute and a half and all but three of them were from Jack. One three was from Dan. That was just thrilling. To play a game like that is something our kids will remember forever. We got a little TikTok fame out of it. It was at home and fans were going crazy in the stands. I think they rushed the court after the game.”

The backcourt of Princeton University-bound Scott and Vessey gave Hun some thrilling moments this winter.

“In the end, Jack ended up beating our Dan to be our leading scorer,” said Stone. “He led in steals, he led in assists, and he led in rebounds. Dan has a tremendous feel offensively. He got a lot better, he handled the ball more this year. He has gotten much better at assist and layups this year. He has really developed as a player that way. He is so consistent. He is work ethic kind of guy, he is a gym rat.”

Senior newcomer Mo Toure developed into a force for the Raiders.

“It took Mo a little while to get adjusted, he was a little up and down in December,” said Stone. “Come January, he was like shot out of a cannon. He had some huge games, he was incredibly consistent. You can rarely say that a guy is super athletic and a fantastic shooter, usually they are one or the other. He proved he was both. He was our leading 3-point shooter percentage-wise this year.

Another player who gave Hun some athleticism and shooting was senior forward and Swarthmore College commit Toby Thornburg.

“Toby was so versatile, he was really good for us in that sense,” said Stone. “He is a really strong defender. He is a really good rebounder and very consistent on the glass for us. He can pass, he had a 10-assist game for us this year. He can score, he can score in the post and he can score on the perimeter. His overall versatility was really beneficial to us.”

The unselfish play of senior forward Isiaha Dickens was also beneficial to the Raiders.

“Isiaha’s ability to see the floor and pass is remarkable, he is able to do some things that you can’t coach or teach,” said Stone. “He takes such great pride in it. He is as selfless as they come and truly gets excited when he is able to find somebody for a lay-up or a shot. He takes great joy in them scoring. He also has a physical presence. We played some really big, strong guys this year and his physical presence helped defensively. When I think of where he came from sophomore year was just tremendous. He was just a great piece to our puzzle, he has been a great team guy.”

A quartet of returning juniors in guard Anthony Loscalzo, forward Anthony Aririguzoh, forward Ethan Gross, and forward Logan Howland gives Hun some good pieces to build on next season.

“We are excited about those guys coming back,” said Stone.

“They all provide a little something different and that is why our team was good this year. We had so many guys that offered so many different things. Those guys fit right into that mold and all of them continued to gain great experience this year. They can all contribute in many ways.”

All in all, it was an exciting season for the Raiders even without any titles.

“It was a fun year,” said Stone. “We wish it ended on a better note but that doesn’t take away from some of the great things we did.”