The Georgia State Panthers have sophomore R.J. Hunter to thank, sinking the game-winning shot with 12 seconds left in the game. The shot allowed the Panthers to beat the Arkansas State Red Wolves 73-72 Thursday night at the Sports Arena.
More than 2,000 were on their feet with under a minute to play as Georgia State trailed by one point.
Red Wolves senior Brandon Reed missed a 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining and the ball was tipped by Arkansas State and went out of bounds giving posession to the Panthers.
Hunter inbounded the ball to Ryan Harrow who took it down the left side of the court and passed it to Hunter who took a jumper off the dribble to make the game-winning shot and extended the Panthers winning streak to eight games.
“Proud of that dude back there,” Ron Hunter said pointing to his son R.J. Hunter.
“That was a great team win, but, for a father, I’m happy for my son,” Hunter said as his eyes watered and he paused for several seconds before continuing the press conference.
“Today was a combination of a lot of time in the backyard, a lot of time in the basement of our old house in Indiana teaching him how you play,” Hunter said.
Ron Hunter said R.J. Hunter was not supposed to be the one taking the shot, but Harrow made the call.
“I knew it was going to be tight coverage so I was going to have to get something off the dribble. So I got it, they actually trapped, I got open and shot the pull-up,” R.J. Hunter said.
“That’s what good players do,” Ron Hunter said. “How he handled himself in that game and the leadership…he’s just matured so much.”
Hunter finished the game with 23 points shooting 9-of-17 from the field but 3-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Devonte White finished with 15 points making 66 percent of his shots, but fouled out late in the game.
Freshman Jaylen Hinton was forced to come in for White and was on the court during the game winning possession.
Hunter said Hinton is the most improved player on the bench.
“[Hinton’s] growing up before our eyes,” Hunter said.
“Even in the game late when [White] fouled out…in the last possession when we got the ball, it was [Hinton] who came back in on the double team that made the guy tip it out. If [Hinton] doesn’t come down on that back side rebound help, we don’t get that ball,” Hunter said.
The Panthers built a nine point lead at the half only for the Red Wolves to wipe it away in the opening minutes of the second half going on an 8-0 run.
The Red Wolves shot 45 percent in the second half after going 11-for-28 in the first half.
The Red Wolves changed their defense from man to zone in the second half confusing the Panthers offense and causing their pace to slow down, according to Hunter.
“If they had stayed in the man, it would have been a blowout,” Hunter said.
The Red Wolves star guard Kirk Van Slyke, who is second in field goal percentage in the Sun Belt only behind Georgia State’s Curtis Washington, had a double-double finishing with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Van Slyke has had double-doubles in 15 of his last 16 games.
The Panthers continued to show off their free throw skills going 10-of-11 at the line.
“The game was won for the team who turned it over less and the team that made the free throws,” Hunter said. “We won that battle again.”
The Panthers extended their winning streak to eight straight games, tied for the second longest in the program’s history.
The Panthers get a quick turnaround before facing another tough battle at home against Arkansas- Little Rock Saturday at 2:30 p.m.
