This week's Athletic Spotlight is on senior Austin Hunt, 18, who plays on the Saxony Lutheran High School boys' basketball team. He was recognized by his coach, Darrin Scott, who has been impressed by the hard work Hunt has displayed on the court this season.
The son of Nathan and Becky Hunt of Frohna, he plays in either the small forward or power forward position.
“I kind of switch around between those two positions,” Hunt said. “I’m more of a defensive guy. If I have an open shot, I’ll take it.”
Asked when he first became interested in sports, Hunt said,
“Honestly, it was when I was really little. My dad would have on Mizzou football or basketball games, and I’d sit there and watch them with him. I kind of fell in love with it after that.”
And what does he love about basketball and other sports?
“Just the competitiveness and being a fan of a bunch of teams,” Holt said. “Even playing in games — just the thrill you get from it. And if it’s a close game, it’s super fun to be part of that, to watch it and stuff.”
According to Hunt, he began playing T-ball when he was in first grade, played basketball during grade school and started playing on the Saxony Lutheran basketball team his freshman year.”
Under the direction of coach Scott, who is in his first year of coaching at the school, Hunt said, “We’re starting to come together pretty well. Coach Scott is cool. I really like him. He loves basketball, but he loves God more, and that’s really what it’s all about.”
Hunt said that Coach Scott has been putting an emphasis on the team exhibiting toughness in their games.
“Obviously, coaches can talk about toughness, but he’s really the one coach that I’ve had that’s really impressed on us the importance of sticking to one thing. Then, he wants to make sure that we’re playing to the best of our potential — doing our very best.”
Hunt believes that unity is one of the most important things the Saxony team has going for it.
“We have a good chemistry,” he said. “We all come from different grade schools before we came to Saxony, but we do a lot of open gyms and stuff outside of that before the season, so that helps us get in rhythm with each other. So, by the time we get in the season, we’re doing pretty good.”
As far as what Hunt does to improve himself as a player, he said that he doesn’t get down on himself when he makes a mistake.
“I don’t really let my mistakes bother me too much,” he said. “I just focus on what I need to do and just keep working at that and trying my very best. I say it’s pretty much the same for everybody [on the team]. Obviously, we all have different roles on the team, but we all know those things that we need to do. We worked on it.”
When asked what he believes is his greatest contribution to the team, Hunt said, “I like to see myself as a tough guy. I think I rebound the ball pretty good. I bring lots defensively to the team, as well. If we need a big stop or a big rebound, I feel like I’m usually in the mix of it.
And asked which team Saxony has played this season that he considered to be the toughest, Hunt said, “Definitely Farmington. They’re just super aggressive. They press a lot, and they got after our guards really good. They can do everything. They were shooting the ball really well. I don’t think we’re quite there yet, but that’s definitely where I want to be for us as a team, and I think we’re definitely turning that direction.”
It's probably not surprising to learn that Hunt appreciates his parents' support when he’s out on the court.
“If I make a three or just really do anything, you can hear my mom screaming on the sidelines for me,” he said. “My dad — he’s not really like that — but after the game, he’ll talk to me, and it’s kind of tough love, but then he helps me.”
As he prepares to graduate from Saxony Lutheran in May, Hunt admitted that he hasn’t chosen a college to attend quite yet.
“I’m thinking either SEMO or Missouri State. I’ve grown up on my farm my whole life, so I think I’m going to major in agribusiness. I’m not really sure what my profession is going to be, but that’s what I want to major in.
And what are his plans about playing college basketball?
“It’s something you dream of when you’re younger, but as I’ve gotten through high school, I’ve gotten more realistic with myself, and I don’t really see that in the future for me.”
\At the interview’s close, Hunt was asked what advice he would give to a freshman who expressed interest in playing basketball for Saxony.
“I’d tell him to just come out and watch a practice or a game and see if he likes it. Get in there with us and see how he fits in with the team. I think it’s worth it to play here at Saxony.”
