Hunter finishes strong in a difficult season

By Greg James |  [email protected] 

The girls basketball season at Hunter High School has been an up-and-down affair. The regular season contest against Kearns on Feb. 9 exemplified all this team has gone through. The Wolverines were short a key player, had a lead, lost it, and eventually came back to win.

“It has been a super tough season,” Wolverine head coach Cameron Gardner said. “We have had to have a ‘next man up’ mentality. Some of our young girls have stepped up and gotten the job done.”

Senior Olivia Harding scored 22 points in that 40-36 victory over the Cougars. A game that included two Kearns technical fouls and several lead changes.

Kearns jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter. Their patient ball control offense helped them bury four three-pointers, but Hunter clawed its way back and tied the game at 16 right before halftime.

The third and fourth quarters saw the score seesaw back and forth. Harding hit two game-clinching free throws with 11 seconds remaining for the Wolverine victory. 

“She (Harding) is our captain and leader on and off the floor. I could not be happier for a player to have that chance. She put them in and did what it took,” Gardner said.

“I really try not to think too much,” Harding said after the victory. “Coach always tells me to go through my routine in my head. I try not to worry about the crowd or the score and think ‘keep my elbow in and extend by my eye.”

Harding averages 12 points per game, top 10 in the state, and has been named Academic All-state by the Utah High School Activities Association. 

Hunter has been ranked as high as 15th in the state RPI standings. The performance index is how the teams will be seeded into the state tournament. They close out their regular season against Granger and Taylorsville (after press deadline).

The season has not been without its problems.

“It has been 2020 continued,” Gardner said. “We have had tons of COVID stuff and injuries. Players have missed games because a family member has passed away. I never know who is going to be available, but I am proud of how they have come together.”

Region 2 has been a catfight this season. Kearns, Cyprus, Taylorsville, and Hunter have each been in first place at one point of the season. The championship could come down to the final game (after press deadline).

The UHSAA state tournament is scheduled to begin Feb. 23 and the championship will be held March 6 at Salt Lake Community College.

“We will just take one game at a time. Every game is important. We need to take care of business and we will go from there,” Gardner said. “I love this team. They have each other’s back. When one of the girls gets down there is always someone there helping them get back up and going. Throughout the season we have taken more charges and turned the ball over less. We have things to work on but we are continually getting better.”

“We have gone through so much this year,” Harding said. “We have had family stuff, COVID, and lots of limitations. We have been knocked down time and time again, but we just get up and keep fighting.”