SISTER ACT: Hun School girls’ basketball player Erin Maguire dribbles to the hoop in a game earlier this season. Last Monday, postgraduate guard Maguire scored 23 points and had 10 rebounds, five assists, and six steals to help Hun defeat St. Benedict’s 51-43 and improve to 10-6. Maguire, a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland, is the third Maguire sister to play for the Raiders. Hun, which has won seven of its last eight games, will look to keep on the winning track when it plays at Hightstown on February 3, at the Hill School (Pa.) on February, at the Pingry School on February 7, and then hosts the Life Center Academy on February 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the last several years, two Maguire sisters, Anna and then Enya, came from Belfast, Northern Ireland, to star for the Hun School girls’ basketball program.

They both established themselves as standout point guards for the Raiders, and are now playing on the college level for Houston Baptist.

Following in their footsteps, a third Maguire sister, Erin, has joined the Hun squad this season and is relishing the experience.

“I was so excited, they both told me that it was one of the best years of their life easily,” said post-graduate Maguire, who has played for Ireland’s U-20 team.

“I love Hun and I love America. It is the land of opportunity as people say.”

Last Friday against Stuart Country Day, Maguire took advantage of opportunity, tallying 23 points with seven rebounds, five steals, and three assists as the Raiders pulled away to a 56-27 win.

Coming off a tough 76-48 loss at Blair two days earlier, Hun was looking to set the tone and jumped out to a 21-7 lead.

“We wanted to come out firing, we didn’t want to come out slow,” said Maguire.

“That is our issue, we come out flat at times. It was let’s make a point, let’s not come out flat, let’s run and get in transition. That was the plan, just get out hard and play tough defense and talk.”

Maguire played hard against Stuart, repeatedly going to the hoop. “I was just trying to focus on getting into the paint and playing good defense and get my offense out of my defense,” said Maguire, who had another big game last Monday, scoring 23 points with 10 rebounds, five assists, and six steals to help Hun defeat St. Benedict’s 51-43 and improve to 10-6.

“Sometimes I have a habit of hanging in the perimeter, taking a lot of long shots. My goal was to get all of my offense out of my defense, that is where my points came from.”

With Hun having gone 7-1 after a 3-5 start, Maguire attributes the team’s surge to working better together.

“I think it is our attitude and maturity, coming into this semester we were all ready to go,” said Maguire.

“We needed that break over Christmas, we were in such a slump beforehand. Our passes have gotten better, we are working way harder. It is all mental at the end of the day. Getting used to each other was a huge thing too.”

Hun head coach Bill Holup liked the way his team worked in the early going against Stuart.

“It is important for us to try to set the tone, against Blair we did not set the tone,” said Holup.

“They are an extremely talented team. It is such a competitive season and all of the teams are ready to play. It is tough, you have to compete and mentally be ready for it.”

The Raiders did hit a lull in the second and third quarters as they only outscored the Tartans 21-19.

“I think more than anything we were hurting ourselves,” said Holup.

“Stuart’s gym and their fans were great. At times it may have affected us a little bit. We kind of just forced things even though there was no shot clock. We are used to playing with a shot clock so I think we still may have had that mentality at times.”

Like her older sisters, Maguire is bringing a winning mentality to Hun.

“Erin is almost like a third coach on the team, she is an experienced player,” said Holup.

“She has competed at a high level with the Irish national team. The girls look up to her. It is great to have her leadership and ball handling and shooting ability out there. If you are open, she will find you.”

Holup is excited to see his squad finding its form in 2022.

“Since the new year, I really think that we have started to click,” said Holup, whose team plays at Hightstown on February 3, at the Hill School (Pa.) on February, at the Pingry School on February 7, and then hosts the Life Center Academy on February 8.

“I think it was a gradual thing. We have a young and new team. Now everybody understands their roles and is just getting better. We are heading in the right direction, that is what you want. You want progression, you don’t want to take any steps back. The girls have really progressed, it is a lot of fun being with them.”

Maguire is having fun as the team has progressed this winter.

“I definitely like to lead by how I play and by my personality,” said Maguire, who is looking to follow in the footsteps of her sisters and play college ball in the U.S.

“I like to be supportive and show my teammates I have confidence in them. I want them to believe that I believe in them. At the start, I think they were a bit worried — let Erin do it all. That’s not what I want. My goal from the beginning has been trying to get everyone into the momentum of playing a team game, focusing on the team outcome. That is why we have been doing so much better.”