Hunt to Bring Up-Tempo Style to Raiders Basketball

Mickey Hunt is a name that has been synonymous with Ramapo High School athletics for more than a decade, as the leader of the varsity baseball team and the junior varsity basketball team.

Now Hunt is adding varsity basketball to his resume.

"I am very excited about getting the opportunity," he said.

Hunt replaces retired coach Joe Del Buono, whose nearly 40-year coaching career included 13 years at the helm of Ramapo basketball, during which he won a sectional title.

Although this will be Hunt's first year as head coach at Ramapo, his experience is far from limited. He was head basketball coach at St. Joseph's Regional in Montvale and Paramus Catholic for a combined 15 years. And he's spent years helping to build the varsity program at Ramapo by developing and guiding the young talent on the JV squads.

Hunt's experience and deep familiarity with Ramapo's players leaves him feeling quite comfortable and confident that the coaching change will be a smooth transition for him and his team.

"It's nice because you know the kids from the program, it's not like a first-year coach in that respect. I know the kids, and they know what to expect from me. We're going to do a lot of the things we've always done, but it's going to be a little more of my flavor," Hunt said.

That "flavor" will feature an up-tempo offense and a more aggressive, defensive-minded style of play. This is a style that many of the incoming seniors are accustomed to, considering they began their Wyckoff traveling basketball careers playing for Hunt from third to fifth grade.

"The main difference defensively will be a full-court press, because coach Hunt is all about pressure," said senior guard Tyler Ward, also the two-year starting quarterback for the football team.

Hunt expects that a fast-paced game will benefit his personnel, especially among his seniors. 

"Matt Bunting is athletic, T.J. [Hunt] is fairly athletic, so we'll be big, but it won't slow us down. We're going to play baseline to baseline for 32 minutes. We've got a good nucleus coming back this year. Tyler Ward and Matt Bunting are two good guys to build a team around, and we have six or seven JV guys ready to step up," Hunt said.

Although the coach's high-speed approach to the game has members of the basketball program excited, it is his personality and ability to inspire that most has players eager to play for him. "Coach Hunt is a great motivator," said Ward.

Student manager Mike Sotzky agreed that Hunt's coaching methods help inspire his players: "Coach Hunt offers a lot of enthusiasm and frankly it's infectious."

Hunt has racked up the miles on the hardwood, from playing high school ball at Paramus Catholic, working summer camps, coaching at numerous schools and now head-coaching at Ramapo. But he is still thankful for the opportunity to coach the Raiders and won't take anything for granted.

"I'm coaching this year, that's all I know; I say the same thing for baseball. Would it be nice to coach for 20 years? We'll see," said Hunt.