ATLANTA — Four years ago, the high school basketball standout R. J. Hunter entered his mother’s bedroom in Indianapolis and interrupted her sleep with some news: He would cast his college basketball lot with Georgia State.

Delivering the scoop by phone to his father prompted the boilerplate parental response: Sleep on it, and let’s revisit the decision tomorrow. Ron Hunter immediately wished he could retract those words, seeing as how he was the Panthers’ coach.

“I was mad at myself, thinking, ‘I shouldn’t have done that,’ ”he said.

R. J. stuck by his decision, delighting his parents. Not only would the three reunite in Atlanta, Ron’s home away from home for the past year, but they would get a close-up perspective of R. J.’s transition to college life that most parents of top athletes are denied. Besides, R. J. might fortify Ron’s job stability at a program that was floundering and largely ignored.

But as the journey apparently approaches the finish line, the Hunters are experiencing a hodgepodge of emotions that have complicated what at first seemed an ideal situation. R. J. has second-guessed himself as player and son. Ron struggled to balance the roles of father and coach.