HUNTER COACHING hurt for Georgia State.
ATLANTA — Coaching can be a painful business.
Just ask Georgia State’s Ron Hunter.
His team is heading to the NCAA Tournament, but Hunter’s got to figure out a way to coach the Panthers with his left leg in a cast after a freak injury at the end of their victory in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament final.
One of the country’s most animated coaches, Hunter leaped off the bench when Georgia Southern’s final shot — a potential game-winning three-pointer — bounced off the rim. He then felt a sharp pain running through his left leg, “like someone had shot me in the back of the leg.”
His Achilles tendon was torn.
For now, Hunter is getting around on a four-wheeled scooter, pushing the device with his right leg. He’ll have to come up with another plan for Thursday’s game in Jacksonville, Fla., when the 14th-seeded Panthers take on No. 3 seed Baylor.
“I’m not worried about me,” Hunter said Monday, sitting along the sideline in Georgia State’s downtown Atlanta gymnasium. “I am worried about the communication with my players. They’re used to me coaching a certain way.”
He’s constantly in motion, usually jumping out of his seat on the first possession and bolting up and down the sideline, barking instructions and waving his arms.
“There’s no way I’m going to be able to sit down,” Hunter said. “I haven’t sat down in 23 years. Maybe I can put on some roller skates. Maybe I can convince the NCAA to let me have my little scooter here. I’ve got to come up with something to let me get up and down the floor.”
Hunter quickly cleared up one misconception that came up in the immediate aftermath of his injury. During the celebration, the television cameras caught his son R.J. sprawled on top of his father.
Naturally, some figured R.J. had caused the injury.
The bond between R.J. and his father runs deep, of course, but this victory was especially sweet. A year ago, Georgia State romped through the regular season with only one conference loss, only to miss out on the NCAAs because of an excruciating overtime loss in the final of the Sun Belt Tournament.
Now, with R.J. perhaps winding down his college career — he could skip his senior season to enter the NBA Draft — this might be their final chance for them to experience the madness together.
“I have not seen R.J. that excited since he was 6 years old, when we got him his first basketball,” the coach said, remembering Sunday’s celebration. “His eyes were so big. As a father, I really enjoyed that.”
Hunter’s injury may limit his mobility, but it won’t dampen his enthusiasm.
“When I’m coaching [R.J.] here at Georgia State, I always have to be coach. I can never be Dad,” Hunter said. “On Thursday, I’m going to be dad for the first time. I’m going to enjoy this experience with my son. We may never get to the NCAA Tournament together again.”