Although senior Isaiah Dennis has plans for after college that may or may not include basketball, he will also be the first to tell you that the Georgia State chapter of his life has yet to come to an end.
The four years of college life for a student-athlete can at times seem like a slow grind, while other days moves at the speed of light. For Dennis, the four years have been a learning experience that has gone by quickly.
“The four years really has gone by quickly,” Dennis said. “I still remember when I was a freshman and I didn’t know a thing about our defense. It really has gone by very fast and it is amazing how much I feel I have grown.”
How has Dennis done it, whether competing in the NCAA tournament or preparing for an exam?
“Have enthusiasm in everything you do. Whether it is on the court or off the court, have enthusiasm in what you do.”
Dennis has lived by this mantra which has paid off dividends over the last four years. Although easily able to respond to the question of what his favorite moment has been – the NCAA tournament appearance and win over Baylor – responding to what was the toughest moment has equally inspired from the guard from just south of Atlanta.
“After we lost to UL Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game my freshman year, we went into the offseason with the mindset of learning how to finish. We had great leadership in Ryan Green and R.J. Hunter who understood what it took for us to get what we wanted.
“We had a lot of veterans that year and a lot of veterans that came back like Devonta White and Rashaad Richardson who were in our ear to keep us focused. They hold us we had to finish or we could end up back in the situation from the year before.”
So now, as the final pages of this chapter are written, he and his teammates still have one goal in mind: “Like every year, I want to get back to winning regular season and tournament championships and going back to the NCAA tournament. When we get there, I want to do better than we did two years ago.”
Although focused on what is in front of him right now, Dennis, like any talented student-athlete, has already started to prepare for the next chapter of life.
“After college, I really want to experience the world. I want to get into commercial real estate and hotel management. I can’t wait to see what is in store for me.”
If Dennis continues to maintain the enthusiasm that has powered him through four years of ups and downs at Georgia State, the next chapter in his life should be equally rewarding and successful, regardless of the highs and lows.
