Quote:Describe to me the scouting process for the staff this year. Do you utilize Synergy video? If so, do you rely solely on Synergy or do you send scouts to watch the games and use Synergy to supplement the live notes created by the scout?

With an entirely new staff this season, each of our coaches have brought some knowledge from
previous schools and we have combined that to be successful this season. We scout using extensive video
breakdowns that includes Synergy along with other full game films. We do not send scouts to watch other
games except for in tournament situations, but do utilize different forms of video and extensive scouring of
statistics to prepare for games.

How do you tailor the scouting reports? Do you go over the scouting report in a team or individual
setting (or both)? How much time is spent going over the opponent before the game?

We use scouting reports in preparing for each team and we go over the scouting report with the team both
in practice and in film sessions. We feel as though using our scouting reports in both film sessions and then
on the court allows our players to get a real feel as to what they are going to see from our opponent. We do
not spend too much time with our players going over each opponent, but rather work more on our system
and make sure we are doing everything correctly on our end.

Do you have a staff member who cuts videos of the opposition for each individual Georgia State player,
based on what they need to know? Do you find this helps each player focus on what they need to know,
instead of giving them information that may not affect them?

In our defensive schemes, everything about the opponent applies to everyone on our team therefore we
do film sessions with the entire team. We make sure there aren’t wasted clips, but the players know the
opponent well before each game. They are familiar with conference opponents after playing them through
the years.

Synergy has a plethora of information, with many different statistics on the individual and team level.
How segmented and specific do you get in your reports? (For example, do you discuss simply how you
are going to defend the pick and roll or do you describe it such as ‘they run the pick and roll X% of the
time and Y% of the time the ball handler finishes and Z% of the time the roll man finishes)?

We discuss specifics if we feel that we can take advantage with our defensive schemes. Some stats don’t
have any relevance within our game plan and would be wasted time to discuss and prepare for. We have our
style of play and thus if we believe a certain type of offense will hurt us we will make adjustments.

Do you have a system set up where players can use Synergy themselves to watch their own game
tape? Is this part of your practice time or do players find the initiative to get this work done on their
own time? How do you have them find a balance with not watching too much tape and succumbing to
information overload?

With so many games and school to balance, most information is brought to the players through the assistant
coaches during practice, film sessions, and the scouting report. We are careful not to overload the players
with too much information and keep our film sessions relatively short. Our film sessions when showing the opponent follow the same outline and we make sure to show the same points that we feel are important. Example: the opposing players tendencies, the offensive sets, the out-of-bounds plays, etc. We feel as though this has allowed us to be successful and our players seem to get the most out of it this way.

What team is the hardest to prepare for on the offensive or defensive end in the conference this year?
What are they doing that makes it so difficult?

We prepare equally for all of our opponents because we feel once we hit conference play, every game has
a playoff type feel. They are all so different but all well coached which makes preparation for them very
similar. If we did not spend an equal amount of time on both sides of the ball, I do not feel as though we
would be properly prepared for any match-up.

How much, if any, do you find the staff using tempo-free statistics like you can find on kenpom.com?

Any and all stats we can use as research are helpful as it is yet another resource we can use for our
advantage. Kenpom is good because it gives us a different look and studying it we may be able to find
something that will help us during the game.

I would like to thank Coach Ron Hunter for taking the time to answer these questions and Mike Holmes, Assistant Director of Sports Communications, for facilitating and transcribing the interview. Make sure you keep an eye on the Georgia State Panthers as they head down the stretch in a tight CAA race and fight for their first NCAA tournament bid since 2001.