Ron Hunter has two goals for Thursday night’s basketball jam at Georgia State: He wants everyone to have fun, and he wants his players to avoid injuries.
The men’s and women’s basketball teams will be unveiled at the GSU Sports Arena during the event, which starts at 7 p.m.
The jam will feature a dunk competition for the men’s team and a 3-point contest for the women’s team.
Hunter will wear a microphone so that the crowd can here him instruct his team, the defending Sun Belt champions who played in the NIT last season.
The Panthers return three starters from that squad, led by leading scorer R.J. Hunter, second-leading scorer Ryan Harrow and center Curtis Washington. Kevin Ware, who transferred from Louisville, won’t participate because of a high ankle sprain suffered during practice earlier this week. Freshmen forward Jordan Session and combo player Jeff Thomas should be able to participate.
Both have impressed in practices and are a part a group of 10 players who could see playing time.
“If I wasn’t such a scaredy-cat I’d probably start both of them,” Hunter said. “But there’s not enough stress medicine to start two freshmen.”
The team may have to start the season without Ware and Washington, who is recovering from an injury. Washington was scheduled to return to practice this week.
Hunter said he will continue to work on the team’s defense and to build chemistry before the exhibition opener against Georgia College on Nov. 3. The Panthers will open the regular season Nov. 14 at home against Tennessee Temple.
“We are so far ahead of where we were a year ago,” Hunter said.
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