Former Walton star Dunbar finds success at Arkansas Tech

It didn’t work out for the former Walton star, and yet he’s probably never been happier on the hardwood than he is these days. After leaving D-I Southeastern Louisiana, he found contentment in a surprising place — D-II Arkansas Tech.

Not only is Dunbar playing extensive minutes and popping 3-pointers at his customary rate, the junior wing player is enjoying team success like never before, as the Wonder Boys open NCAA tournament play Saturday ranked No. 1 in the NABC/Division II coaches’ poll with a 29-1 record.

Dunbar, who is second on Arkansas Tech in scoring (11.8) and 3-point percentage (41.2), was recently honored as the Gulf South Conference West Division Player of the Week and earned all-tournament honors after helping lead the Wonder Boys to their second straight GSC championship.

The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter buried four 3-pointers and tied for a team-high in points with 18 in the title game. Seeing Dunbar play his best when it really counts should came as no surprise to those who saw him his freshman season at Okaloosa-Walton College (now Northwest Florida State College), when he excelled during Panhandle Conference action and earned second-team all-conference honors.

“I like pressure situations,” Dunbar said. “I think it’s fun. The tougher it gets, it seems like the better I play.”

Dunbar is grateful to be playing. He didn’t do much of it his sophomore year at Southeastern Louisiana and had a hard time masking his frustration with head coach Jim Yarbrough.

“I wasn’t too happy with the coach, and I don’t think he was too happy with me,” Dunbar said. “It was time to move on I guess.”

After doing just that, Dunbar said he impressed an Arkansas Tech assistant coach last spring while playing pickup basketball at Eglin Air Force Base. He joined the Wonder Boys and has flourished despite playing the entire season with a thumb injury on his shooting hand that could require surgery.

“It’s great getting a lot of minutes and it’s great winning,” Dunbar said. “ … (Transferring from a D-I to a D-II school) happened for a reason is how I look at it. You’ve got to make the best of every situation.”