Indiana commit Jerome Hunter enjoys reception at Hoosier Hysteria
The smile on the face of Pickerington North (Ohio) forward Jerome Hunter told the story of what he thought of his reception on Saturday night at Hoosier Hysteria at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Despite being the highest ranked member of Indiana’s 2018 recruiting class, Hunter wasn’t expecting a hero’s welcome when he walked onto the Branch McCracken Court with associate head coach Tom Ostrom.
But that’s what he received.
“He was (surprised) because it’s still fairly new to him,” Andreas James, the director of the Ohio Nova Village Athletic Club told Inside the Hall on Sunday. “He’s never taken in a game there. He’d played there before (at team camp), but had never experienced the crowd. On the way out there I told him, ‘Jerome, they are going to be cheering for you.’ And he was like, ‘really?'”
Hunter, who committed to the Hoosiers back in July, is the No. 63 player nationally in the 2018 class according to the 247Composite.
But one thing that stands out about the versatile forward is his humility. He doesn’t play for a national ranking or for accolades.
“That’s the part about Jerome that is unique,” James explained. “His expectation level … I shouldn’t say it’s low, but he’s just an old school, low maintenance kid. For him, everything is extra. He’s not entitled. So because of that, everything was like, ‘wow, this is good.'”
Hunter was one of three class of 2018 Indiana commits in attendance on Saturday in Bloomington, joining Robert Phinisee and Damezi Anderson. Three five-star recruits – Darius Garland, Romeo Langford, Keion Brooks Jr. – were also there along with Trayce Jackson-Davis.
“We really enjoyed ourselves,” James said of the Hysteria experience. “Just the opportunity to spend more time with the coaches. He got to talk to the 2018 commits. He and Damezi probably talked the most. I think he felt really comfortable being there. He feels really good about the place and feels like he really fits in.”
The plan for Hunter, according to James, is to take his official visit on the weekend of November 10 for Indiana’s regular season opener against Indiana State.
Hunter plans to sign his National Letter of Intent with Indiana in the early signing period which begins on November 8.
Filed to: Jerome Hunter