Junior helps Cougars to 6-2 start
By: Bob Nuse
Mike Bunn knew all he needed was a little more playing time to show what he was capable of doing on the basketball court.
After being one of the top scorers for the Montgomery High freshman boys’ basketball team two years ago, Bunn spent last year in a reserve role with the varsity team. This year, as a junior guard, Bunn has moved into the starting lineup for the Cougars and has delivered.
Through eight games, Bunn is averaging 10.2 points a game and has helped Montgomery get off to a 6-2 start under first-year coach Jeff Tagliareni. On Friday night he scored 16 points, helping the Cougars past Belvidere, 67-22, for their fourth straight win.
"I came off the bench for the varsity last year," said Bunn, who has been in double figures in five of the Cougars’ eight games. "I’ve been playing more this year than I did last year, which is part of the reason I’m scoring more. I did a lot of work over the summer to get ready for this season. In the first game I didn’t play real well, I think it was mental with it being the first game. But since then I’ve straightened things out."
Bunn has been just one part of a balanced Montgomery attack that has averaged 65 points the last two games. Even with leading returning scorer Justin Freid missing two games while hobbled by an ankle injury, the offense has not suffered.
"The other guys have worked to pick up the slack," said Tagliareni, whose team is unbeaten in the Skyland Conference Raritan Division at 4-0. "Mike Bunn has been scoring a lot. He’s been in double figures in four out of the last six games. And Adam (Hyncik) has been in double figures in every game. I knew Mike would score, but the fact that he’s scoring like he has been is a little bit of a surprise."
"My freshman year I scored a lot for the freshman team," Bunn added. "Then last year I didn’t score as much for the varsity, but I didn’t play as much as the year before. I thought if I played more this year I would score, so I’m not that surprised by it."
And Bunn isn’t surprised by the Cougars’ 6-2 start either. He knew the team was capable of having the kind of season they have over the first month.
"I’m not surprised," Bunn said. "We’ve been playing well and we did a lot over the summer. We went to two or three team camps and we got to get used to the new coach. We’ve been playing real well. We could have won both the games we lost. We’ve been playing pretty intensely every game."
The Cougars face a big test tonight when they host unbeaten Voorhees, which is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Skyland Conference. It’s a game Montgomery is looking forward to.
"It will be a big game against Voorhees," Tagliareni said. "Right now we’re both at the top of the league since Somerville has a couple losses. Voorhees has a veteran coach and I know they’ll be ready to play.
"It’s an important game, but we need to realize it’s not the end of the season. There are still a lot of games left to play after this one. But I think when the kids saw that Voorhees beat Somerville, it got their attention. They came to practice ready to go on Saturday."
So far, the first-year coach couldn’t be happier with the way his team has performed. Even with Freid still nursing his injured ankle, the team has continued to win.
"Justin is still working to get back into the rhythm offensively," Tagliareni said. "He’ll get ready for the game and play, but then the next day his ankle will swell up and so he won’t be able to practice."
When Freid has been slowed, other players have been there to pick up the slack. Bunn is just one of those players.
"He’s one of those kids that comes in before school and shoots in the gym," Tagliareni said. "He loves basketball and when you love it that much and work as hard as he does, you’re going to be successful.
"We’ve gotten good play out of our point guards. Jay Kohl and Ryan Jenkins have both done a good job handling the ball. And I’ve been happy with the play of our seniors."

