Masterman’s Hunt earns good rest

Tyler Hunt's final floor shot of the evening worked out rather well. Wait, didn't that attempted three-ball, launched from the left wing, clang against the underside of the rim?

"I thought it was going to be an air ball," he said. "I was pretty tired. My legs were giving out on me."

Hunt is a 6-2, 175-pound senior wing guard at Julia Masterman High and his agenda yesterday included two games in sweltering gyms.

In the nightcap, played at Southern as part of the 35th annual Public League Coaches' All-Star Classic - three games based on geographic regions; no feature attraction; feel free to scratch your head - Hunt contributed 14 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals as Center City swooshed past West Philly, 104-86. His first game had taken place just after noon, at Masterman.

"It's an annual thing, seniors vs. juniors," Hunt said. "It's a game to raise college scholarship money in honor of John Smyth, who died in an accident when I was in seventh grade.

"It's a fun game because you're playing with all of your classmates, and you know you're doing something meaningful."

Hunt's squad won that tilt, too, and he racked up 20 points.

But that wasn't all. There were two contests at halftime, one for free throws and another for treys. Hunt performed in the latter.

"I hit eight of 10," he reported.

And it cost him . . . ?

"I think my parents put up $5 for each made shot," he said, smiling.

After the Smyth event concluded, Hunt headed downtown for a meal, hung out for a while with buddies and then made a beeline for Southern.

"It's a little nerve-wracking at first because you're going against all the Pub's best players," Hunt said. "Little different than a Masterman game. But then it turns out OK because you realize, 'I can compete with these guys.' Your nerves calm down and you just play basketball. It winds up being lots of fun."

Eventually. Hunt missed all three of his shots in the first half as Center City fell into a 42-36 hole.

In the third quarter, he looked like Dwyane Wade. Hunt knocked down five consecutive shots, working well with teammates Jay Harris (Robeson) and Jean-Pierre Forte (World Communications Charter), and two of those were three-balls.

"I was teeing them up," he said, simply. "I just wanted to get some shots up. See what I could do. I started heating up."

Harris and Forte finished with 23 and 19 points, respectively. Harris also whirlwinded his way to eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. (Yes, his school is in West Philly. But Center City was slightly shorthanded right before gametime and coach Rob Moore hoodwinked the opposition into giving him Harris.)

Hunt, a strong student, lives near 25th and Fairmount. He also plays baseball for Masterman, as a second baseman and pitcher, but his first love is hoops.

"I'm looking at Temple, Penn State and West Chester, and I have a month to decide," he said. "I'm thinking maybe I could play basketball at West Chester as a walk-on; maybe even at the other schools. I'm looking to get into education, then maybe teach and coach high school sports."

Amir Stringfield understands that no one knows his name.

Heck, most people have never heard of his school, A. Philip Randolph.

"We're only a second-year varsity team, so you have to expect that," Stringfield said. "If some college is after me, I don't know about it. That part's frustrating. I'm trying to get some attention. I played good tonight and I do that all the time."

The 5-10, 150-pound senior point guard, a lefty, contributed eight points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals as North Philly beat South Philly, 126-101. In the middle of three games, Northeast Philly rolled past Northwest Philly, 103-79.

"This was a good experience," Stringfield said. "I got to see, and play with, guys with lots of different kinds of games. Coming from a Division D school [smallest enrollment], well, I had big butterflies in my stomach on the way down here. But once I got on the court, I was all right.

"Really, they disappeared the moment I walked in the gym. Why? 'Cause I like to ball. That's how I am. I have a lot of confidence in my game. Plus, I didn't want anybody thinking that the players from Division D can't hoop."

For years, athletes from Randolph, located on Henry Avenue above Allegheny, played their sports for Murrell Dobbins Tech as part of a partnership. That's still how it is for football. But Stringfield enjoys the fact that his school, for other sports, is now on its own.

His major at 'Dolph is carpentry and he lives near Wayne and Manheim.

"I appreciate the help I get from all the people at Randolph," Stringfield said. "Now I just hope that all of this leads to something. I figure the more people see me play, the better they'll understand how I can help a team."

Amir Stringfield understands that no one knows his name.