Georgia State dominates Sun Belt awards

ALL-SUN BELT CONFERENCE

First Team

R.J. Hunter (Georgia State, So., Guard)

Elfrid Payton (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., G)

Shawn Long (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., F)

Reger Dowell (Texas-Arlington, Sr., Guard)

Ryan Harrow (Georgia State, R-Jr., G)

Second Team

Augustine Rubit (South Alabama, Sr., F)

Manny Atkins (Georgia State, Sr., F)

Kirk Van Slyke (Arkansas State, Sr., Forward)

T.J. Price (Western Kentucky, Jr., G)

Will Neighbour (Arkansas-Little Rock, Sr., F)

Third Team

Brandon Edwards (Texas-Arlington, Sr., F)

Tylor Ongwae (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., F)

George Fant (Western Kentucky, Jr., F)

Melvin Johnson III (Arkansas State, Sr., G)

Devonta White (Georgia State, Sr., G)

Player of the Year: RJ Hunter

Defensive Player of the Year: Elfrid Payton

Freshman of the Year: Chris Harrison-Docks, Western Kentucky.

Coach of the Year: Ron Hunter

Just as they rolled through the Sun Belt, Georgia State’s men’s basketball team dominated the conference’s awards Tuesday.

R.J. Hunter was named the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year, one of four Panthers, along with Ryan Harrow, Manny Atkins and Devonta White, selected for the all-conference teams. Ron Hunter was named coach of the year after leading the Panthers to a 17-1 league record.

Georgia State (24-7) was the only school to have at least three players named to one of the three all-conference teams. On the women’s side, Kendra Long was named to the third team.

R.J. Hunter, a sophomore guard, averaged a team-leading 18.5 points per game, fourth-most in the Sun Belt. He had the conference’s highest free-throw percentage (88.4), was second in steals (1.9 per game) and seventh in 3-point percentage (40.2). He has made 92 3-pointers, three away from setting a school record.

Hunter said he was surprised to win because he kept hearing that Louisiana-Lafayette’s Elfrid Payton was the favorite. He was at a sand-volleyball match when he learned he won. Though honored, Hunter said he has bigger goals.

“This will mean absolutely nothing if we don’t get to the (NCAA) tournament,” R.J. Hunter said. “Hopefully this will get sweeter in about a week.”

Ron Hunter was named the conference’s coach of the year after leading the Panthers to the top seed in the tournament, which begins Thursday in New Orleans. Coaches and one media member covering each school voted.

“It’s hard to get four guys on all-conference teams,” Hunter said. “I didn’t want any of the guys left out. I thought they all played well enough that they should have (been honored).”

Joining R.J. Hunter on the Sun Belt’s first team was Harrow, who ranked fifth in the conference in scoring (17.2 points per game), fourth in assists (4.4), fourth in free-throw percentage (83.0) and fifth in steals (1.3). Harrow, a junior, transferred from Kentucky during the offseason. Hunter said he thought Harrow also deserved consideration for player of the year. He is on pace to set a school record for field goals (215) in a season.

A pair of seniors, Atkins and White, received the first all-conference honors of their careers.

Atkins, a forward, was named to the conference’s second team after averaging 14.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. One of the conference’s more versatile players, Atkins has made 44.9 percent of his 3-pointers this season, the third-best mark in program history.

“I’m so happy for Manny,” Ron Hunter said.

White, a point guard, averaged 11.8 points and a team-leading 4.4 assists per game. White will finish his career in the top five in school history in points, steals, assists, games played and starts.

Ron Hunter, in his third season at Georgia State, also won coach-of-the-year honors in the Summit League (2003, ’06). Georgia State has won 21 of its past 22 games, and its 24 wins are the second-most in program history.