A work ethic to envy

Erin Hunt was never the star of her team.
She didn’t put up gaudy point totals.
She wasn’t on any all-state lists.
But Hunt was and has continued to be outstanding in one key aspect that has allowed her to become a key contributor in a college program.
“I think Erin’s work ethic … made her a college player,” said Bethel College coach Jody Martinez of the 2011 Jay County High School graduate who spends hours each summer shooting at Jay Community Center. “She’s one of those players that comes in on her own. … She does her own shooting. Once in a while we’ll do workouts together.
“She just has a heart. She wants to be a college basketball player. And her work ethic is why she plays.”
Her hard work has changed her from a bit player to a starter, from a defensive specialist into a double-digit scoring threat.
Hunt barely saw the court in her first year with the Pilots. She played only in blowouts, getting into just nine games. She attempted two field goals, missing both, and made one free throw.
Her role grew somewhat as a sophomore as she played in every game. But her minutes were still slim as she served mostly as a defensive energy player in short spurts.
“The first year my role was to be an encourager off the bench,” said Hunt on Thursday following her team’s game against Huntington University. “And then last year I had a role (to play) aggressive defense, which was only limited minutes when we needed a stop, which was good for me. I learned a lot in the few minutes I played.”
She learned enough to become a leader on this season’s team.
Hunt has started 18 of the Pilots’ 20 games this season and has become a scoring threat. It took her just two games this season to surpass her scoring total from the first two years — 21 points — and she has gone on to hit 33 3-pointers in 20 games.
A player who averaged just 4.7 points during her senior season with the Patriots, her 12-point effort in Saturday’s 81-75 loss to Mount Vernon Nazarene marked the ninth time she has reached double figures this year. With an average of 7.8 points per game while shooting 37 percent from long distance, she has made the most of her opportunity this season.
“At the college level, it’s just so much a different ball game than the high school level,” said Chris Krieg, who coached Hunt during her final season at JCHS. “For Erin to have an opportunity to do that is great for her.”
Martinez noted that it was Hunt’s outside shooting and defensive ability that led him to believe she could be a contributor for Bethel.
And while her offensive game has come along, her defense is what guarantees her place on the court. She has 17 steals and six blocks this year, and it’s her job to try to lock down the opposition’s leading scorer.
On Thursday, that meant a match-up with her former Patriot teammate Pazia Speed.
“She’s doing an amazing job at college,” said Speed, a 2010 JCHS graduate who has scored more than 1,000 points in her collegiate career. “She’s stepped up. … She’s one of the hardest working people I know. I’m really proud of her.”
Times have been difficult for the Pilots over the last month as they have lost eight of nine after a 6-5 start. But Hunt has remained positive in her leadership role.
She’s looking forward to a strong finish to her junior season and the chance to put together a winning senior year.
Hunt was no sure thing to become a college success. She wasn’t sure if she could become a college starter, but she’s made herself into an example of what can be accomplished with the combination of self-confidence and a lot of hard work.
“I always hoped that I could, and I knew that I needed a coach that believed in me and would push me hard,” Hunt said. “Coach Martinez is that. He believes in me and I believe in our team. It’s been fun.”[[In-content Ad]]