(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: HARD DRIVE: Hun School post-graduate star Mike Auriemma drives to the hoop in a game earlier this season. Overcoming some early struggles, Auriemma, the son of legendary Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, is starting to find the range for the Raiders. Last Friday, the 6’1 guard poured in a season-high 20 points to help Hun to a 67-46 win over Solebury. In upcoming action, Hun, now 7-10, plays at Mercersburg Academy on January 26 before hosting Lawrenceville on January 29.

Auriemma Starting to Find the Range as Hun Boys’ Hoops Seeks a Rhythm

Bill Alden

Mike Auriemma was a bit of a marked man when he joined the Hun School boys’ basketball team this winter.

As the son of legendary Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma and an All-State performer for East Catholic High in Manchester, the post-graduate guard couldn’t fly under the radar.

In the early stages of the season, Auriemma didn’t hold up well under the attention, struggling to learn the Hun system as he looked to earn more playing time.

The Raiders were inconsistent collectively as well, losing six of seven games coming into last Friday night’s game against visiting Solebury School.

Finding the range from the perimeter against Solebury, Auriemma looked very comfortable in the Hun offense as he scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Raiders to a 67-46 win.

“We have been struggling a little bit lately; we had lost three in a row,” said Auriemma, who hit four three-pointers on the evening.

“We have been losing close games down the stretch. We were pretty confident we could play with them. We beat them in the Peddie tournament and it was a similar ending tonight.”

Having not lost many games in his career at East Catholic, Auriemma acknowledged that Hun’s recent slump has been hard to deal with.

“Coming from my high school team where we lost a total of seven games in my junior and senior year and coming down here and losing a bunch of games early was tough,” said Auriemma. “We have been playing against some of the best teams in the country.”

The 6’1 Auriemma acknowledged that he has been out of sync at times this season. “I struggled a little bit in the beginning of the season, getting used to everything,” added Auriemma, who averaged 7.2 points a game through Hun’s first 14 games. “It’s been coming around a little bit.”

A heart-to-heart chat with Hun head coach Jon Stone helped Auriemma come around. “Coach and I had a little talk a couple of weeks back,” said Auriemma.

“I’ve been playing better. I’m letting the game come to me a little bit and not putting too much pressure on myself.”

Auriemma has also been buoyed by talks with his famous father, who has led the Huskies to five NCAA titles.

“Me and my father are really close,” said Auriemma. “We talk about basketball; we talk about everything. He is one of my friends; it’s like having an extra coach.”

It was the advice of another coach, Phil Martelli of St. Joseph’s, that helped lead Auriemma to Hun.

“I was going to play at the University of Hartford but I had a change of heart,” recalled Auriemma. “My dad is good friends with Coach Martelli and he heavily recommended that I come to Hun.”

While he has clearly had some ups and downs in his move to new Jersey, Auriemma is glad that he took Martelli’s advice.

“This is a school with real good athletics and real good academics,” said Auriemma, who is currently looking at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Monmouth, and St. Joseph’s as he makes his college choice. “I’m having a good time; I’d like to have a few more wins.”

Coach Stone is glad that Auriemma came his way. “He’s a good kid; he’s a good competitor; he’s just starting to show what he can do,” said Stone. “He’s going to continue to do that; he’s been getting better everyday.”

With Hun dropping a series of tight ball games, Stone acknowledges that his team is a work in progress.

“It’s a new team and we are still finding our way and we’re still working together,” said Stone, whose team fell 61-40 to Apex Academy last Saturday in the Big Apple Classic to move to 7-10 on the season.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find your role, your niche and everything else. It’s a process for all of us; everyone needs to continue to find their role on this team.”

In the win over Solebury, senior forward Lance Goulbourne stepped into his role as Hun’s top threat.

“His energy in the first half was tremendous; I thought he was really playing just to win,” said Stone of the Vanderbilt-bound Goulbourne.

“He was just showing why he is so good. It’s not the high-flying dunks or the unbelievable blocked shots; it’s getting the loose balls, getting the rebounds, and driving to the basket.”

The Raiders will need to take care of those jobs if they are to be a force come tournament time.

“We just put some pieces together; we’ve got to continue to do that,” said Stone, whose team plays at Mercersburg Academy on January 26 before hosting Lawrenceville on January 29.

“I think it’s all about jelling and chemistry. We have a long way to go both in the season and with our own development. We’re not there yet.”

Auriemma, for his part, believes Hun is primed for a big stretch drive. “We know what we need to do,” said Auriemma.

“I think things will be good in the MAPL (Mid-Atlantic Prep League) and Prep A tournaments. We are going to get another chance at teams that have edged us like Peddie and Blair.”

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