SPIN CONTROL: Hun School boys’ basketball player Lorenzo Spinazzi handles the ball in a game last winter. On Sunday, Spinazzi scored nine points to help Hun defeat Mercersburg Academy 68-37 and improve to 4-9. In upcoming action, Hun hosts Trenton Catholic on January 19 and then faces The Master’s School (Conn.) on January 21 in the Mel Henderson Memorial Showcase at Hackensack High. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Lorenzo Spinazzi may not be in the starting lineup for the Hun School boys’ basketball team but he is emerging as one of the squad’s key players.

Last week against visiting Blair, junior guard/forward Spinazzi came off the bench and scored a team-high 11 point to give the Raiders a spark as a second half rally fell short in a 68-46 defeat. On Sunday, Spinazzi tallied nine points to help Hun defeat Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 68-37 and improve to 4-9.

Spinazzi has made the most of his reserve role for the Raiders. “Off the bench, during the game, I just try to bring a lot of energy to the team,” said the 6’4, 190-pound Spinazzi.

“I am a pass first player; I make sure I get my teammates shots first. I love starting the game but whatever my team needs me to do, I am there for them. I am a team player.”

The Hun team got off to a rough start in the loss to Blair, falling behind 16-7 after the first quarter.

“I don’t think we brought enough energy today,” said Spinazzi. “Blair is a very talented team; they have a lot of good players. We are a very good team as well. On any given day, we can beat a good team like Blair, we didn’t have our minds right today.”

After finding itself trailing 37-23 at halftime, Hun showed energy in the third quarter, getting outscored just 14-12.

“We started getting in rhythm, we starting playing very good defense,” recalled Spinazzi.

“They started making turnovers and we capitalized on those opportunities. They would turn it over, we would take our time on offense, get good shots and knock them down.”

Over the course of the second half, Spinazzi knocked down his shots, scoring nine of his 11 points in the last 16 minutes of the game.

“When I am in a rhythm I will knock them down,” said Spinazzi. “That is my big thing, to make sure I get a big rhythm shot and make those.”

While the Raiders battled, they just couldn’t get over the hump against the opportunistic Buccaneers.

“I think the turning point was when we took a couple of bad shots and they got transition points,” said Spinazzi.

The defeat to Blair was the latest in a string of tough setbacks for the Raiders.

“It is the most frustrating season I have ever had because we are a very good team and almost all of the games we have lost have been within a couple of points,” said Spinazzi, reflecting on a season which has seen Hun drop two games by two points and three others by one point.

Hun head coach Jon Stone was frustrated by the way his team came out of the gate against Blair.

“You never want to dig a hole and to dig one at home is bad,” said Stone.

“We missed virtually all of our shots early. We were getting good shots and they just weren’t falling. That is not the best way to start.”

The Raiders did show good resilience in fighting back against the Buccaneers. “We have been getting better at regrouping and making some runs,” said Stone.

“We just have to learn how to sustain them. We make a nice run and then we fall asleep for a couple of plays and give it right back.”

Stone is pleased with what Spinazzi has given Hun so far this season. “Lorenzo is improving every day and keeps getting better,” said Stone. “He enjoys competing and he has really started to show that competitive edge.”

Despite the sub-.500 record, Stone is confident that the Raiders will be competitive in postseason play.

“We can put it together, we just haven’t yet,” said Stone, whose team hosts Trenton Catholic on January 19 and then faces The Master’s School (Conn.) on January 21 in the Mel Henderson Memorial Showcase at Hackensack High. “If we keep improving and keep growing, we will be right there.”

In Spinazzi’s view, Hun has the potential to grow into a force by tournament time. “We have to stay more poised at the end of games; we have to be more patient,” said Spinazzi.

“We have to take our time and take good shots. We will be ready when we get there. We are making good strides as a team from the start of the season so we will be fine by the time we get to the tournaments.”