(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) 200 CLUB: Hun School girls’ basketball head coach Bill Holup makes a point during a timeout in a game earlier this season. Last week, Holup earned his 200th career win as Hun edged St. Francis (Md.) 55-49 in the Blue Chip showcase event outside Philadelphia. Holup, who previously coached six seasons at Stuart Country Day, is 155-77 in his 10-year tenure at Hun.

Hun Girls’ Hoops Edges St. Francis as Holup Collects 200th Career Win

Bill Alden

The last game of 2008 for the Hun School girls’ basketball team presented the kind of challenge that Raider head coach Bill Holup relishes.

Finishing play in the Blue Chip showcase event outside Philadelphia last week, Hun faced undefeated St. Francis (Md.), the top-ranked team in Baltimore and the No. 4 team in Maryland.

In addressing his players before the game, Holup urged them to seize the moment.

“I told the girls before the game that this is what I enjoy,” recalled Holup.

“I can’t say I really like winning blow outs. I like it when we play someone really good who is going to push us and make us better.”

Holup’s charges got pushed by St. Francis and responded, surviving a see-saw fourth quarter to pull out a 55-49 victory.

“We had the lead for three quarters; they got it for 15 seconds and then it was back and forth,” said Holup, whose team improved to 6-2 with the win.

“It was tied a few times; it went right to the wire. It was good for us; we have to learn to win those kind of games.”

It was a particularly special triumph for Holup since it marked his 200th career win.

“I never thought I would be coaching this long,” said a laughing Holup, who started coaching at Stuart Country Day School and is now 155-77 during his 10-year Hun tenure.

“I knew it would come eventually. It’s a matter of having a lot of talented players who have played hard for me. It made it special that it came against a high caliber opponent; it was a game where we had to play well to get a win.”

Holup had several players come up big for him in the win over St. Francis as Cyndra Couch scored 13 points, Meg Rigous added 11 with Arielle Collins and Cara Fiori chipping in 10 apiece.

“Every time we have had four or five girls in double figures, we have won,” said Holup, reflecting on his team’s balanced attack.

Senior guard and co-captain Meg Rigous has helped Hun’s players stay on the same page.

“Meg comes to play no matter what, whether we have had a week off or we have been practicing everyday,” maintained Holup.

“She’s a basketball player; whenever she is on the court, she is there to play. She is a co-captain and she gets after the other girls when they aren’t playing hard.”

Hun has also been getting some hard play by senior star Couch. “Over the past few years, Cyndra has gotten to the point that when she is focused on offense and defense and looking for her teammates, she can do some really good things,” said Holup.

“She has expanded her offensive game. She didn’t have much of a perimeter game before. Now she has a mid-range jumper and can help us bring the ball up the floor.”

Now that Hun has overcome a team like St. Francis, Holup is hoping that his team can raise the level of its game as it heads into 2009.

“After winning against St. Francis, we know we can win against a high-caliber opponent,” said Holup, whose team hosts Rutgers Prep on January 8 and plays at Blair on January 10 before hosting Immaculate Heart Academy on January 11 and Peddie School on January 13.

“All I ask is that they play hard and play as a team; good things will happen when you do that. They need to maintain mental focus, basketball is difficult. It is a team sport; you need all five players on the court to be on the same page in order to do well. I want us to get better each game.”

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