By Zach Carter
A teammate dribbles the ball up the court. A screen is set. He passes it to an open teammate behind the 3-point line. He shoots … nothing but net. For the opposing players it’s just one 3-pointer, but for him, it is something more.
Senior basketball player Brady Hunt recently topped 1,000 career points for Delta High School.
“This achievement was really special, and I feel blessed to be able to get to this point,” he says. “‘I am in elite company in the 1,000-point club.”
Hunt is the ninth player in school history to score 1,000 career points in varsity boys’ basketball.
Head coach Mark Detweiler was not surprised by this.
“I really thought he was capable of this,” he says. “‘Especially as we played him from the start of his freshman year. Being surrounded by some really talented players has made it better for him.”
Going into the Dec. 9 game at Winchester, Hunt knew he needed 10 points to get the achievement. He ended up with 34 points, six rebounds, and one assist.
As of Feb. 23, Hunt’s high school career stats are 1,361 points, 701 rebounds, 112 steals, 171 assists, and 52 blocks. With 1,361 points, he is in the top five on the 1,000 points chart.
The fourth-place scorer, 2019 graduate Josh Bryan, is 20 points ahead of Hunt with two regular-season games to go.
He needs 81 points to catch Kelly Robbins in third place and needs 136 points to catch current Purdue University head coach Matt Painter in second place. These would be possible with an extended postseason run.
He is averaging 22.3 points per game this season and has helped the Eagles to a 14-4 record so far.
His 701 rebounds makes him number one in all-time Delta rebounds.
Hunt is not only a star basketball player, but is a weapon at quarterback. He recently committed to Ball State University as a football recruit. He had multiple reasons that influenced him to choose BSU.
“I know the coaching staff really well and I love all of them,” he says. “‘Also it is a great school and it is close to home. I just feel like it is a good fit for school, and the football program is going in the right direction.”
The Cardinals won the Arizona Bowl this winter and finished No. 23 in the season’s final national Associated Press poll.
Before becoming the quarterback for DHS, he played wide receiver his freshman year. Hunt says there is a chance the Cardinals could switch him to a tight end or wide receiver.
“I am going in kind of expecting to redshirt my freshman year, but if I have to sit for years after that I would just be excited to be able to learn from older players and coaches,” Hunt says. “‘I would continue to work to earn my opportunity to play, and when my time comes I will be ready.”
Even though Hunt has played quarterback for a few seasons, he still thinks there is room for improvement.
“I think that I can improve my footwork and accuracy,” Hunt says. “‘Other than that I really need to improve physically and get into the top shape that I can be in.”
Delta’s head football coach Chris Overholt speaks highly of Hunt.
“He is a tireless worker,” he says. “‘His productivity has been consistent over the last four years.”
He adds that Hunt has set the bar high for his teammates.
Some of Hunt’s biggest supporters are his family.
“My family has done a lot throughout my athletic career,” Hunt says. “‘They have always been supportive and have wanted the best for me. I’m thankful for everything they do.”
Brady Hunt is flanked by his mother, Linda Hunt, and his father, Dr. Jeremy Hunt, on Senior Day. (Photo by Jacy Bradley)
Hunt’s parents, Dr. Jeremy and Linda Hunt, introduced him to sports at a young age.
“Since part of my husband‘s job was covering athletic events at Ball State, Brady has literally attended nearly every kind of sporting event there from the time he was an infant,” Linda says.
To the Hunt family, the milestone against Winchester showed what Brady is all about.
“Brady didn’t really want to celebrate the moment when they stopped the game to announce he’d scored his 1,000th point,” his father says. “‘We were losing at the time and he wasn’t happy. When the team came back and won the game, he was finally able to smile and enjoy the moment with us and his teammates.”
His mother adds that she is thankful that Brady will be included in something that younger kids can look up to.
When it comes to BSU, Hunt’s parents have expectations for his next step for athletics.
“We expect him to be a good teammate, a good student, and to enjoy the journey,” his father says. “‘If he can take care of the things that he is supposed to do on the field, in the classroom, and have fun while he’s doing it, he’s going to be successful.”
Right now, Hunt has not officially chosen what he wants to study. But the two that interest him are exercise science and finance.
Brady credits Delta for his success and achievements in athletics.
“Delta has been a big part of my life,” he says. “‘I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve gotten and the connections I’ve made through Delta athletics. I will always be thankful for my time here, and I will definitely keep coming back to support the Eagles in the future.”
