Williamstown’s Hunt decides to retire

Bill Hunt was sitting on the bench at halftime of the Carino Club all-star game Sunday at Rutgers-Camden, watching Shawnee's Joe Bodnar compete in the three-point contest.

"He needs to move back," Hunt said as Bodnar unleashed a rapid series of 20-foot jumpers.

Hunt was smiling. Everybody laughed. We all knew the coach was referring to Bodnar's deep jumper - was it 25 feet? Was it 30? - at the buzzer of the South Jersey Group 4 boys' basketball final.

Bodnar's shot lifted Shawnee to a dramatic, 53-51 victory over Williamstown, and effectively signaled the end of Hunt's terrific career as Braves coach.

If you watch the video of the final moments of that remarkable game on the Rally site at Philly.com, you see Hunt in the lower right corner of the screen, dropping to the floor and rolling across the hardwood after Bodnar's shot stabbed the bottom of the net.

But the video lies: Bill Hunt went out on top.

"Unbelievable shot," Hunt said Wednesday, discussing his decision to retire after 13 seasons as the Braves' head coach and 12 previous seasons as an assistant coach. "Two inches the other way, and we're the ones who win the South Jersey title."

Hunt's team might not have won the program's first sectional that March 7 night before a capacity crowd of 1,600 spectators in the Williamstown gymnasium.

But that game, and the grace with which Hunt handled that devastating defeat, said more about the program and the coach than any trophy in a glass case.

It's even more remarkable in retrospect, because Hunt said he knew all season that he was likely to step down to spend more time with his family.

So the coach was that close – a rushed three-pointer from an opposing player who took a pass near midcourt with 2.6 seconds on the clock – from winning his school's first South Jersey title in boys' basketball in his final season.

In the storybook, Hunt goes out that way.

In real life, he went out even better, with his head high and nothing but good things to say about the effort of everybody on that court, and nothing but admiration for Bodnar's ability to make the toughest of shots.

"I was talking the other day to [Shawnee coach] Joe Kessler because he asked me if I had a tape of the game," Hunt said. "I told him I couldn't watch it for a long time.

"But he was saying that so many people told him that was one of the best games they ever saw. So many people told me the same thing – just the atmosphere, the back-and-forth, the way it ended."

Williamstown set a school record this season with 25 victories. The Braves set another school record with a 21-game winning streak.

Under Hunt, Williamstown became a South Jersey power. His teams won seven Tri-County Royal titles, and regularly competed against top teams in out-of-conference games.

"My goal was to play competitive, hard-nosed basketball," said Hunt, who retires with a 239-100 record. "I wanted to play tough, out-of-conference games so our kids could be seen against top-notch competition."

Hunt's teams were known for their gritty defense but also for the tough coach's old-school sportsmanship.

"Bill Hunt is one of those guys who is easy to root for," said Rancocas Valley coach Jay Flanagan, whose teams played Williamstown regularly in annual non-conference battles between Group 4 powers.

It's easy to be a good sport after a tough win.

Bill Hunt was a good sport after the most incredible of losses.

He even was man enough to joke about it a few weeks later.