During a week full of laughable quips and Youtube-bookmark moments, perhaps it was one of the last things that Georgia State coach Ron Hunter said that will make fans of his team the most happy:
“We’ll be back,” he said Saturday night after Xavier defeated the Panthers 75-67 in the third round of the NCAA tournament.
It may be as soon as next year.
With or without R.J. Hunter, who is projected to be a late, first-round pick in the NBA draft should he make himself eligible and that may not be announced for three weeks, Georgia State will return enough talent to again be considered among the teams to beat in the Sun Belt Conference.
It may seem improbable considering that if Hunter leaves, 38 points per game will be gone from the offense because guard Ryan Harrow, who averaged 18.3 points per game, also used up his eligibility.
Gone too will be guard Ryann Green and center Curtis Washington, meaning 80 percent of the starting lineup from a 25-10 team will turn over next season.
No matter.
“Our program is sitting pretty good right now,” Ron Hunter said. “I love where it’s at.”
The Panthers are in prime position because they were able to stockpile some talent this season with players who either transferred in and had to sit out the year per the NCAA’s rules, or who redshirted.
If R.J. Hunter leaves, 6-foot-5 guard Jeff Thomas could step into his starting spot. Thomas, who coaches and teammates say is an excellent 3-point shooter, was going to start this year until the NCAA wouldn’t clear his high school transcript.
In for Harrow could be Isaiah Williams, the former Southern Conference freshman of the year. Also a good 3-point shooter, the 6-foot-1 Williams averaged 11.9 points and 3.4 assists per game at Samford two years ago.
In for Washington could be Jeremy Hollowell, who transferred from Indiana. At 6-foot-8, Hollowell won’t have the same defensive skills that the 6-foot-10 Washington had, but he should be a much better player on offense because he can also hit 3-pointers.
The Panthers also signed Malik Benlevi, a 6-foot-6 small forward from Jenkins High in Savannah.
“I was telling Kevin (Ware) the other day that if we make the round of 32 this year, people have no idea what’s coming next year,” Green said. “Georgia State will definitely be back.”
And it wouldn’t be surprising if Ron Hunter doesn’t land at least one more transfer. The NCAA tournament run and the national media that came with beating Baylor on R.J. Hunter’s 30-foot 3-pointer, which caused Ron Hunter to fall off his chair, may prove beneficial in recruiting high school players.
Add those players and possibilities to a core that will include returning forwards Markus Crider, T.J. Shipes, Jordan Session and Jalen Brown, and guards Kevin Ware and Isaiah Dennis and next year could produce even more magic moments.
“What helped me with this is these kids got a taste of it (the NCAA tournament)”, Ron Hunter said. “Work in the offseason, I think it will be better. It’s one thing to say you want to go to the NCAA tournament. But if you’ve never been, you don’t know what you’re working out for. Now, we can work out and start figuring out how we get back to this. That’s the most important part.”
