(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) EXTREME MAKEOVER: Hun School girls’ basketball head coach Bill Holup instructs his players in action last year. With only one player returning from last year, Holup faces a coaching challenge as he welcomes eight new faces this winter. Hun will head to Maryland this weekend to tip off the season as it faces the McDonogh School on December 4 and Roland Park the next day.

Hun Girls’ Hoops Getting Extreme Makeover; Core of New Players Set to Develop Together

Bill Alden

There is roster turnover and then there is the 2010-11 Hun School girls’ basketball team.

Hun returns just one player, senior guard Ashton Dwyer, from a team that went 9-14 last year.

While some coaches may be daunted by the prospect of welcoming eight new players, Hun head coach Bill Holup is relishing the challenge.

“This is the youngest team I have had since my first year at Stuart in 1993 when I had no seniors,” said Holup, who is in his 12th season guiding Hun after a six-year stint at Stuart.

“It is enjoyable; they are coachable,” said Holup. “They are learning together and they will grow together. It will be interesting to see how we play at the start and then develop by the end.”

Hun has some interesting options in the frontcourt with freshman Johnna Johnson, junior Miranda Muscente, and sophomore Carey Million.

Johnna Johnson is 6’1 from South Jersey and has already been getting some interest from colleges,” said Holup.

“As long as she keeps
developing, she should have a very nice career. She is physically very strong, has a nice drop step and good left hand. Carey is 5’7 and is a good athlete and fierce competitor. She played on Florence varsity last year as a freshman. Miranda is a 5’10 junior from Allentown. She is a good physical player and is very good at the dirty work, setting screens, banging around on defense and getting rebounds.”

In the backcourt, Holup will be looking for some good work from junior guard Jackie Mullen.

“Jackie is from Christ the King in New York; she played on a nationally ranked team against some of the best competition in the country,” said Holup.

“She can play the ‘1’ or the ‘2,’ she is a very heady player. She is smart; she doesn’t try to force things and she doesn’t make many mistakes. She can step back and hit a 3-pointer or drive to the basket.”

Mullen should get plenty of help from junior Ashley Ravelli and freshman Anajha Burnett.

“Ashley is a 5’8 junior from Italy; she is a terrific shooter and a number of schools have seen her in Europe,” said Holup.

“She has terrific court sense and sees everything around her on the court. She is an awesome outside shooter. If she gets an opening, she is deadly. She is rooming with Jackie and they are working well together. Anajha is a 5’3 guard from Ewing. She plays very good defense and was very unselfish in our scrimmage. She likes to find the open player.”

Hun will get a chance to bond and come together as it opens the season by heading to Maryland where it will play McDonogh School on December 4 and Roland Park the next day.

“We play two games in Maryland against two very good teams,” said Holup. “That will be an eye-opener. We will spend a night together on the road; that should be good for bonding. We will be playing tremendous competition and will find out some things.”

In Holup’s view, his young squad could open some eyes as the winter unfolds. “As long as we don’t have mistakes based on youth, we should be good,” said Holup.

“We should be a better shooting team than we have been in the last few years. We are still figuring things out defensively. I am excited.”

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