CAAZone.com chatted with GSU Coach Ron Hunter recently

Count them, six years in the CAA conference and six consecutive losing seasons.  The results are unacceptable at most universities, even more so at GSU.  Expectations for all of the Panthers’ athletic programs have changed.

When a school makes a commitment to institute a football program and hire a head coach with the reputation and resume of a Bill Curry, athletics is no longer an extracurricular activity, it’s about competing at the highest level.

Georgia State wanted and pursued one of the top small college basketball coaches around with a reputation of winning while providing a commitment to stability.  They went after IUPUI’s (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) Ron Hunter.

Why not?  With 17 seasons at one school and record of 274-219, Hunter was a winner with a proven track record.

Who’s Ron Hunter?  He’s the one who coached without shoes.  Huh?

You may remember several years ago ESPN grabbed hold of a story as then, IUPUI coach Ron Hunter, led and inspired other coaches to support Samaritan’s Feet – an organization that collects shoes for underprivileged children around the world.

With the help of Coach Hunter over 100,000 pairs of shoes were raised on January 24, 2008, and to date over 250,000 pairs have been donated.

Okay, he’s a good guy, but can he turn around the fortunes of a struggling GSU program?

With confidence oozing from every word he utters, there is no doubt in Hunter’s mind the program will be successful, and soon.

“I have never lost anywhere I’ve been,” Hunter said with a devilish smile.

“It all starts with the coach.  If you believe you’re going to win, you will.  I know how to win!”

Building a winning program takes time.  It won’t happen overnight for Hunter, but he’s very convincing.

Acquiring the talent it takes to win requires a relentless recruiter, and that’s where Hunter excels.  He’s a salesman with a proven product (himself).  And it’s only a matter of time until Georgia State basketball will be significant in the CAA.

“We want kids who want to win.  Who know how to win.  I don’t want to have to teach a kid how to win,” Hunter explains.

He plans to recruit and sign high school players who consistently played on winning programs.  Hunter wants the student athlete who has performed in the limelight early in his career, so when he arrives at GSU the mentality to be a winner is already instilled.

Coach Hunter and the Panthers will lean on their big man, 6'10" Eric Buckner, this season.

As for the 2011-12 Panthers, Hunter believes he has inherited a program with talent to compete.  He specifically referred to three players he’s counting on to be the leaders for the team.

Senior FW/C Eric Buckner (6’10”) will play an important role in Hunters offense.  There’s no secret as to what Hunter likes to do on offense.  See the three, shoot the three, and make the three!  His offensive scheme is designed around the 3-pt line.

For the Panthers to be successful shooting from the outside, they will need Buckner to be a force on the inside.  Without an inside presence, opponents will extend their defense in an attempt to prevent the open outside shots.

Buckner will not only have to score inside, he’ll have to make quick distribution decisions to find the open man when defenders converge on him.

No matter what level of basketball you are talking, a team is only as good as the point guard who is running the offense.  Hunter likes what he has seen so far in sophomore PG Devonta White (5’10”).

White started the 2010-11 season off strong as a freshman, averaging 7.3 ppg and 3.0 assists.  But he was injured against VCU in the twelfth game of the season and missed nine consecutive games.  White was unable to return to his pre-injured form once he recovered, so his minutes were minimal the rest of the season.

Healthy and rejuvenated under Coach Hunter’s system, expect to see some impressive play from this budding Panthers’ star this season.

Taking over a program with players you did not recruit is never an easy task.  The veteran players have to buy what a coach is selling, and once you have them on board, the rest will typically follow.

Hunter found his link to the players in 5-year senior FW Jihad Ali (6’5”).  Ali has already graduated and is now working on his masters.  Mature beyond his years, the sharp-shooting left hander was an easy sell for Hunter.  Ali should thrive in the Panthers’ perimeter offense and Hunter plans on making sure his veteran leader gets his shots.

Whether Hunter and the Panthers can win this season, remains to be seen.  Installing a new offensive philosophy and various defenses takes time.  With Hunter’s confidence and leadership, he has his players believing, and that’s the first step!