Some of the first names that come to mind as the drivers for NC State men’s basketball’s breakout season under head coach Kevin Keatts are a pair of sophomores in star center Omer Yurtseven and play-making point guard Markell Johnson. When it comes to the team draining 3s, graduate guard Allerik Freeman and freshman guard Braxton Beverly leap off the page.
One name that does not jump off the page is Sam Hunt. However, the graduate guard has been a valuable contributor for the Pack all year. Early on, he gave the team a valuable shooting touch off the bench. On NC State’s current three-game winning streak, he’s been vital.
After playing just nine minutes in a loss at home to UNC-Chapel Hill, the team’s second straight, Hunt was thrust into action with many of his teammates in foul trouble in road game at Syracuse. He played 25 minutes, easily his most in ACC play. Hunt, however, easily handled the extra workload, chipping in 14 points and shooting 4 of 6 from 3-point range, a critical contribution in a 74-70 win that represented a massive road victory.
In the team’s next win, a 90-84 victory over Wake Forest that snapped a five-game losing streak in Winston-Salem, Hunt’s minutes dipped back down to nine, but he was efficient, hitting 2 of 3 shots from beyond the arc for 6 points.
In Tuesday night’s 82-66 win over Boston College at PNC Arena, Hunt hit all four of his tries from deep for 12 points, and helped spark a run in the first half that saw the team hit 17 of 19 shots after missing its first eight, giving the Pack its first lead of the game early.
Naturally, with his increased minutes and production has come an increase in confidence for Hunt, but he says his hot streak has come from following the same routine he has all year.
“My confidence is high,” Hunt said. “Not even because of me. My teammates do a great job of telling me to shoot, finding me. My coaches; we work out before practice, after practice. My confidence stays high because I’m putting in the time and effort.”
Part of what makes Hunt such an impressive shooter is where he can hit his shots from. Many sharpshooters like to line up from the top of the key or the wing, but the graduate transfer from NC A&T nails his downtown tries from the corner.
In the second half against the Eagles, Hunt lined up from his signature spot for a shot, but as he lined up, his foot hit a slippery spot on the hardwood and slid sideways, taking his feet out of their set position as he shot. No matter, the shot swished in to keep NC State’s corner sharpshooter perfect for the game.
“It’s rare that you get a guy that can make corner 3s,” Keatts said. “A lot of guys can make it from the top of the key; a lot of guys can make it from the wing. The 3-point shooters, it’s tough sometimes from the corner. He’s been huge for us the last few games.”
It may be tough for some shooters from the corner, but not Hunt. The Pack’s strong season, with 19 wins so far and nine in the ACC with three to go, has the team eyeing the possibility of a double bye in the ACC tournament and its first trip to the big dance since 2015.
Hunt has been a key catalyst for the run that’s made that happen, and will need to continue to be as the Pack heads into its last three games with a chance to make this season a truly memorable one.
