(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) ONYX JEWEL: Hun School girls’ basketball player Onyx Mintah passes the ball in action last season. The Siena-bound Mintah figures to be a key player for Hun as it looks to again be a title contender in both the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) and state Prep A tournaments. The Raiders open their 2009-10 campaign by playing at Gwynedd-Mercy Academy (Pa.) on December 3.

Hun Girls’ Hoops in Transition Year; but Still Has Talent to be Formidable

Bill Alden

A core of seniors formed the backbone for the Hun School girls’ basketball team last winter as the program produced another superb campaign.

The Raiders reached the championship game in both the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) and state Prep A tournaments led by battle-tested veterans Megan Rigous, Cara Fiori, Cyndra Couch, Jah-Leah Ellis, and post-graduate transfer Arielle Collins.

With those players having been lost to graduation, Hun head coach Bill Holup acknowledges that the team has some rebuilding to do.

“It is a transitional year,” said Holup, who is in his 11th year at Hun and guided the program to a 19-7 record last season.

“We graduated five seniors and all five are playing in college with two in Division I. That is tough for any program to handle.”

In assessing his 2009-10 squad, Holup believes that Siena-bound senior forward Onyx Mintah will be tough for Hun’s foes to handle.

“Onyx is so much more confident this year and she is in much better shape,” said Holup, whose team tips off the season by playing at Gwynedd-Mercy Academy (Pa.) on December 3.

“Last year was her first year with the program and it wasn’t her team. She is really asserting herself now on and off the court. She is more confident in her shooting and is demanding the ball.”

Holup is confident that he will get some good work up front from senior Lexee Liaskos and freshman Kate Weeks.

“Lexee can shoot from the outside from the three-point range or attack the basket,” said Holup.

“She can defend against a guard or a forward. Weeks is a tremendous athlete; she ran cross country in the fall. She is a solid basketball player; it is helping her to go against Onyx everyday in practice.”

The Raiders figure to get some good minutes in the backcourt from post-grad transfer Jacquel Saunders, a former star at Trenton Catholic, together with senior Lauren Shockley and sophomore Nicole Campellone.

“Saunders comes from a very successful program; she played in the Tournament of Champions as a junior,” said Holup, whose backcourt will also include junior Ashton Dwyer.

“She can handle the ball and has a good shot. Lauren will be the off guard. She got more playing time at the end of last year; she is quick and athletic. It is just a matter of her being more confident. Nicole has grown since last year; she has really been stepping up in the first week and a half of practice. She is being more aggressive.”

While Hun may not boast a lot of depth, Holup believes his team has the talent to be formidable.

“We don’t have a lot of players,” asserted Holup, whose roster also includes freshmen Rakiyah White and Kate Sullivan.

“But you can only use five players at a time and the ones we do have are extremely talented. It is a matter of us playing smart and not picking up dumb fouls.”

The Raiders are also developing the good team chemistry that has been a hallmark of the program in recent years.

“The girls are working extremely hard,” said Holup. “The older girls are helping the freshmen; that is nice to see. It is really important for everybody to be on the same page.”

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