Wolverines have high expectations

With region play here, the Hunter basketball teams just might take the fifth — place that is.

According to Region 3 coaches' predictions, the Wolverines' boys and girls teams are expected to finish fifth, which would leave both out of the playoff picture. Not surprisingly, both Hunter coaches believe their teams are capable of exceeding those low expectations and earning one of the four spots the region has for postseason play.

Here's a look at each Hunter team:

GIRLS: The Wolverines only have three victories — including their region opener — but new coach Jack Ballard believes the best is yet to come for Hunter.

"We're going to be a good second-half-of-the-season team," said Ballard, who came to Hunter after previously coaching the Wasatch Academy boys.

Ballard is trying to help his young girls — the team only has two seniors — focus on improving their fundamentals, learning the game and getting used to the new coaching staff's ways. That will help them, he hopes, "peak at just the right time." With "a great group of juniors," four sophomores and two freshmen on the roster, that could pay off in the future.

"We're kind of building a program," he said. "We graduated seven seniors, but we don't necessarily believe this has to be a rebuilding season because we've got good athletes and girls who want to play."

Senior Katrina Iosua is Hunter's leading scorer, but she has been a bit hit-and-miss this season. She is averaging just under seven points and is one of eight Wolverines averaging between 2.6 and 6.7 points per game. Iosua exploded for 20 points in Hunter's 62-50 Region 3 victory over Copper Hills earlier this week. Innie Pataialii is next in scoring with 5.5 ppg.

Iosua said Hunter has lofty goals despite its relative inexperience.

"We want to take region champs," she said, adding that going to state is definitely a goal for the team that hasn't had a winning season in recent memory.

"The first goal is to get a game in state," Ballard added. "And to just be playing our best basketball at the end."

Ballard credited his "outstanding seniors" — Iosua, a swing player, and center Liz Sweet —for their leadership. He believes they can help the quick, athletic Wolverines improve as the season progresses.

"That second half of the region season and in the playoffs, I think we're going to surprise a lot of people," Ballard said. "This team is going to have a lot of heart."