The longtime coach, getting his start at South Sevier in 2001 and making stops at Bear River and Roy ahead of a curve toward Morgan County in 2023, will always be the first one speaking up when the Trojans’ efforts are called into question.

On paper, the jump from 12-12 as the third-place program in Region 13 to 26-1 as the region and 3A state champion pretty much speaks for itself. But how Morgan responded to that first 12-loss season, that’s where Hunt draws his receipts.

Morgan is the 2025 Standard-Examiner All-Area Boys Basketball Team of the Year.

“Losing the plan, that was a big one,” junior guard Bracken Saunders said.

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

The future 3A state tournament MVP, just a sophomore at the time of Hunt’s arrival, couldn’t help but feel discouraged by how things played out in that first run. Hunt’s changes ranged from the court to the disciplinary structures gluing guys to the program.

New system. From the top down.

Senior Kolton Asay wasn’t immune to such changes either and partnered with fellow seniors Nate Pace and Ben Russell to ensure Hunt’s current junior class would meet the challenge head-on when Hunt’s second round of tryouts were posted.

Among those returners were Saunders, 5-foot-8 shooter Jake Hansen and a 6-foot-6 big man by the name of Mason Williams. The trio appeared in each of Morgan’s 24 games as sophomores and won the favor of Asay during the offseason.

“All four of us guys played so much (basketball),” Asay said. “We worked our butts off, but those three guys right there — they’re great guys, man.”

CONNER BECKER, Standard-Examiner

Hansen touched on the direction of seniors, such as Asay, that led Morgan’s rising underclassmen in a fashion that left seniority, and the arrogance it sometimes breeds, on the shelf. What Hunt called an “expectation of sacrifice” led to team-driven basketball.

“With these (seniors), that’s never happened to us,” Hansen said. “They set an example for us that’ll include the freshmen next year. We’re going to make them feel welcome.”

There was no question Morgan had the bodies to get to the rim night after night, but a defense limiting opponents to 48.4 points and grabbing 22.3 defensive rebounds per night caught Hunt just a few weeks into the regular season.

In contrast, Morgan had allowed opponents 60-plus points 11 times the year before.

“I know we demand quite a bit,” Hunt said. “We demand that they do things the right way and if they don’t, often times there are consequences. … I thought this year, after the first four or five games, these guys started to buy into what we were teaching.

“(Hunt) won’t let you settle,” Williams added. “He wants you to succeed and get to your best potential.”

Such discipline earned the Trojans Region 13 champion status, cleaning the region slate 10-0 and taking the No. 1 seed in the 3A state tournament.

With a first-round bye, Morgan swept North Sanpete, Emery and Juab to reach its first state championship game since 2019. A No. 3 Richfield squad, led by sizeable seniors Gage Yardley and Malik Fautin, stood in the way of a fifth state title for both Morgan and Hunt, respectively and separately.

Hundreds of students and fans alike piled into the UCCU Center in Orem as Morgan struggled to curb Richfield’s answers throughout a heated first half. Saunders and his teammates recalled the noise consuming their attention when entering and exiting the floor.

“It’s an opportunity to make your mark and be remembered,” Saunders said. “Your number will always be in this gym. … It kind of felt like (Morgan) was on the court too.”

The brief intermission saw Morgan reset defensively, reducing the Wildcats to nearly half of their first-half production. Saunders led Morgan with 26 points in obtaining that hailed title banner.

Following state-title seasons in football and girls soccer, Hunt’s boys basketball team is the latest of Morgan’s offerings in a memorable school year. Just the 10th boys basketball coach in Utah to claim at least five titles, Hunt said the reception from the Morgan community stands alone.

“They’re the kind of kids the community can get behind,” Hunt said.

“They’re not arrogant, they don’t think they’re better than anybody else. The community can get behind a team they feel connected to. … I’ve had my phone blown up, I’m sure these kids as well, with just people reaching out congratulating us and thanking us for allowing them to be a part of this.”

Connect with sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.