Just last week, Fifth-year Jeff Hunter on the Keene State Men’s Basketball team was given the Trevor Hudgins award for the Top 25 Watchlist.
The men’s basketball coach, David Hastings said, “I think this is a reward that Jeff deserves hands down. It’s a reward based on a four year career and I don’t think anyone that’s in college basketball at the division III level has had a better four year career than Jeff Hunter.”
Hastings added, “Jeff impacts the team in every way possible,” as he displays leadership on the court whether it is through communication or his physical performance.
Hunter has improved a lot since the beginning of the season Hastings said.
“Jeff Hunter walks into the season completely prepared for the year,” Hastings said. “I’d say the biggest thing I’ve noticed about him is being in the weight room before games and after games.”
According to Hastings, Hunter maintains his strength throughout the season whereas some players may get beat up as the season progresses.
Before a big game, Hunter said he prepares physically and mentally. We’ll go down and stretch as a team about like an hour before the game and then I’ll just take time after stretching to go into the locker room and just kind of focus on visualizing what I’m going to do before the game,” Hunter said.
Hunter reveals he does not feel a lot of pressure going into the games.
“Realistically, if we win games, then those awards will take care of themselves … there’s not really any pressure because I’ve been in the same position for five years now,” he said.
Hunter continued, “Just mentally preparing, physically preparing, and the work that I do is just going to set me up to play the best basketball that I can.”
The men’s basketball assistant coach Nate Stitchell said, “Jeff is pretty similar on and off the court. He’s very focused on the court and he’s very focused off the court.” He also considered Hunter to be a, “diamond in the rough.”
Stitchell added, “When it comes to off the court, he’s very focused on discipline, self-development, and self-improvement … Getting up early, going to the gym, reading self–improvement books, always looking to have conversations with people, he never knows what he can take from somebody.”
Additionally, Stitchell mentioned Hunter likes to, “Make himself uncomfortable in senses to basically be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Elyse Picard can be contacted at
epicard@kscequinox.com
