Hopatcong Basketball Star Picks College

Now Hunter Guard can relax.

The senior had spent much of the basketball season pressing, worried about where he'd go to college. Guard put that behind him Tuesday, declaring his intent to play at Moravian College.

"It will take a lot of weight off my shoulders on the court and in school," said Guard, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound forward.

Guard said he realized Moravian would be the perfect fit after visiting the campus and speaking with head coach Jim Walker.

Chiefs head coach Jim Tobin said he's known Walker, whose coached at Moravian for 31 years, a long time and that Guard would transition well to playing power forward at the next level.

"[Guard] can definitely play the four," Tobin said. "The good thing about him at the high school level is that he's played [small forward.] He's faced the basket. He can shoot the three. He actually has post-up moves around the basket, so he can go inside-out.

"That's what coach Walker said. He needs his four man to go inside and out, to face the basket on the wing and to do stuff like that. He's a natural fit for what they're doing right now."

Guard has had quite the career at Hopatcong High School. He's been a part of two league championships, won the Chiefs' Most Improve Player award in 2010 and will help Hopatcong chase a third straight Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Freedom Division crown this year.

And with that decision out of the way, Guard can focus on enjoying his senior year.

"With all that pressure off, now he can just go out and play," Tobin said.