The Bunek family name is commonplace throughout the ranks of Lake Leelanau St. Mary boys and girls basketball teams.
Jim Bunek has two boys, Josh and James, and his older brother Avery Sr. Bunek has two boys as well, Rex and Avery Jr.
The brothers also have two daughters on the girls team seniors Jim’s daughter Della and Avery’s daughter Sarah Bunek hustling for the St. Mary girls basketball team.
Back in the mid-1990s many locals remember four Bunek starters for the Eagles 1994 boys basketball team with thensenior Avery, freshman Jim, sophomore Julius, and junior Trevor Bunek all gracing the Eagle blue and white.
“I would say (that time) was a changing of the guard at St. Mary’s basketball because we were starting to win double digit games,” Jim said. “It just brings back a lot of good memories, you know, I’m very proud of my boys and what they’ve accomplished.”
Avery and Julius were both 1,000-point scorers, along with Nick Hanenburg, while Jim represented the 900-point club with power and grace.
“That was actually, it was easier to get scrimmages and two on two games together when you had that many family members around. So basically you could pick up basketball and you found you needed guys to play against and then it made it fun too,” Avery Sr. recalled.
For Jim and Avery Sr., it means everything to them to see the family coming back through and representing the Eagles with pride.
“I’m happy to see them have family members to kind of make these memories with, because plain and simple, you know, high school’s only gonna last so long,” Avery said. “They’ll be able to talk about this and things they did together for when they’re 40 like me.”
Starting off with Della, this senior guard for the girls basketball team is one of the elders of the young Bunek army. The rest of the cousins can learn about her tenaciously and competitiveness she plays with.
“They’ve been going to a lot of our practices too, and it’s just fun to play against them and it’s made me a better player for sure,” Della said. “We always have basketball on our TV and we have hoops in our cul-de-sac that we are always playing with each other in a mini hoop in the basement. It’s always competitive. Lots of fun.”
Her cousin, and companion on the court Sarah, may have some injuries that was left her sideline but she has the same competitive spirit as Della.
“Right now I can’t really play, so it’s mostly me pushing her from off the bench. But I think it’s awesome that we can all play together. And obviously when the boys come in and we play each other, then we get to push each other around and make jokes and stuff. I think it’s awesome,” Sarah said.
Sarah enjoys telling his brother Avery and Rex what to do, and according to her they listen carefully. This is her advice to her brothers and cousins: “I think to just enjoy it while it’s lasting, to have fun and play your hardest.”
Eagle sophomore starting point guard Josh Bunek has been excelling for St. Mary as he worked hard all summer, and after a few games into the season he was bumped up to varsity.
“We’ve got my family. I’m related to almost everybody here. Like we’re a whole family, whole entire team all together. Yeah,” he said while pointing to the crowd of blue and white that was leaving after an overtime thriller on Saturday.
James Bunek, an Eagle freshman, has slowly but surely been making his mark on the program, after earning more of a role on the varsity in recent weeks as a defensive specialist while his offensive game develops. He can thank his older brother for the help.
“I can practice with them all of the time. The chemistry is so good,” he said. “He’s just very nice and always pushing me and I’m pushing him to be better,” James said.
Avery Sr. kids, Rex and junior, know how important a strong family is to having a strong basketball team.
“We already have a good relationship, so it’s kind of easy on the basketball court,” Avery said. Rex added, “It means a lot because we all get to hang out and play together.”
There is one Bunek we cannot forget about, and that is the water boy, and youngest of the basketball bunch, Julius Bunek, who gives the boys basketball team his all by filling up water and providing moral support.
“It’s pretty darn important,” he said. “I want to be like them, but better.”
