(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) FINAL PASSAGE: Hun School girls’ basketball senior Emily Gratch looks to pass in a recent game. Last Monday, Gratch netted 11 points as Hun topped Bishop Eustace 44-31 to improve to 15-6 on the season. The Raiders have been seeded second in the Prep A tournament and will host the victor of the Blair-Princeton Day School opening round clash in the semi-finals on February 13.

With Gratch Happily Carrying the Load, Hun Girls’ Hoops Poised for Stretch Drive

Bill Alden

She happily lugged four chairs over her shoulder to clear up the bench area and picked up a stray water bottle off the court for good measure.

For Hun School girls’ basketball senior star Emily Gratch, carrying the load for the Raiders comes naturally.

A starter from the day she walked in the door as a freshman, Gratch has gone on to produce one of the greatest careers in Hun hoops history.

Through last Monday, Gratch had 1,463 points in her career, second most in program history. More importantly, Gratch has led the Raiders to three straight Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) and state Prep A title games.

For Gratch, leading the Raiders has been a labor of love. “It’s not like I try to be a leader; I just have so much fun with the girls,” asserted Gratch.

“On and off the court, we are best friends. I will do anything for the girls; I am there for them for anything.”

The unselfish tone that Gratch sets for Hun has been reflected in the team’s recent surge which has seen it win eight straight games.

“We have been moving the ball around, that’s the key,” asserted Gratch, who netted 11 points last Monday as Hun topped Bishop Eustace 44-31 to improve to 15-6 on the season.

“We are working it around and getting it to every player. We have a lot of people on our team who can score.”

Gratch will leave Hun with a lot of great memories of the people that have gone through the battles with her.

“The past four years have been my favorite,” said Gratch, who is averaging more than 16 points a game this season.

“I don’t know what I am going to do without these girls. Playing here has taught me so much. I am definitely going to miss it; I’m trying to make the best of it.”

Next year, Gratch hopes to start a similar bonding process as she heads to Lehigh University to play for its women’s basketball team.

“I like the Patriot League schools; they are great academically and athletically,” said Gratch a resident of Doylestown, Pa.

“It’s an easy ride from home so my family can come to everything. When I went to visit and met the girls, I loved them; I clicked with them pretty fast. The coaches are great and the campus is beautiful. I fell in love with it.”

Hun head coach Bill Holup has loved having Gratch on his team the last four seasons. “It’s unbelievable what she has meant to the program,” said Holup.

“We know that she can score. When she draws double and triple teams she’ll dish it off to somebody that’s open. The rebounding is always there as is her defense. She will even handle the ball when we need it. We really look to her.”

Echoing Gratch’s sentiments, Holup believes that his players’ unselfish play has keyed Hun’s recent surge.

“They always look for each other,” said Holup. “We are doing a better job of waiting for the screens and opening up in the low post area. Sometimes they are too unselfish because they pass up good shots for shots that are even better and we wind up turning over the ball.”

In Holup’s view, the team has learned some lessons from a five-game losing streak it suffered through in the middle of the season.

“We have to get better because of it,” said Holup. “If we don’t learn from adversity, what good is it? We needed to get something out of it and build from it.”

With 11-time Prep A champ Peddie on the horizon in both the prep and MAPL tourneys, Holup feels his team can make a breakthrough.

“We have the potential as long as we believe and get the work done, good things will happen,” said Holup, whose team has been seeded second in the Prep A tournament and will host the victor of the Blair-Princeton Day School opening round clash in the semifinals on February 13.

“We have to continue to work on not turning over the ball. We need to make the plays and take care of the ball. The other team isn’t going to score if they don’t have the ball. We need to be patient and continue to get better.”

Gratch, for her part, believes the team’s chemistry holds the key to post-season success.

“We need to keep our heads up,” said Gratch. “Everybody needs to come ready to play, that’s the key. Sometimes we have one person not ready. For the games coming up, we need to stick together. Everyone is in it for each other.”

And with the unselfish Gratch leading the way, Hun figures to get the most out of each other down the stretch.

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