Don't miss out on any of our exclusive football, basketball and recruiting coverage. Sign up with TheHoosier.com here.

Outside of Indiana-centric circles, Jordan Geronimo came into the month of March last season relatively unknown.

But when the eyes of the college basketball world fixated on Dayton, Ohio, for the NCAA Tournament First Four, everything changed.

Earning their first tournament appearance since 2016, there was no time to celebrate the accomplishment for Indiana. Playing in the first night of the NCAA Tournament after an improbable run in the Big Ten Tournament meant the Hoosiers faced their 4th contest in just six calendar days.

A fatigued Indiana team was looking for a spark. Enter Jordan Geronimo.

Geronimo burst onto the scene with 15 points, seven rebounds, and a block in 19 minutes of action against Wyoming, helping lift Indiana to an 8-point victory over the Cowboys. Within the span of a week, a once under-the-radar role player now found himself being talked about by every who's-who in the sport.

Due in part to his sporadic and inconsistent share of minutes on the floor during his career at Indiana, Geronimo's nuclear athleticism and untapped potential had only really shown in flashes. Yet when the opportunity came knocking with the bright lights on, Geronimo gave everyone a glimpse of what sustained substance from him could look like.

Even himself.

"That game was needed," Geronimo told the media on Tuesday. "I feel like it just kind of told me like, hey, I can do this."

Now, ahead of this upcoming season, Geronimo is eager to capitalize on the newfound success, carry over his momentum and solidify a significant role on the floor this fall.

"I just kind of used that [Wyoming] game as a foundation to just work on my game," Geronimo said. "I would just watch the film and try to expand on my game and try to see how I can do better."

It's well-documented that Geronimo has been working this offseason to become more multifaceted on the court, whether it be to slot into the 3 or to continue spending time in the frontcourt. His development isn't just crucial for his own growth, however, as versatility to the level that Geronimo is desiring could be the key that earns him the steady string of minutes needed to make an impact on ballgames.

The roster depth of this year's Indiana team is unlike that of previous years, as in there isn't any apparent glaring hole or talent discrepancy at any one position. It's cliche to say that "too much talent" is a good problem to have, but with logjams everywhere you look in the rotations, consistent minutes in the rotation are going to be hard to come by. Buoyed by experience in hand and the aforementioned untapped potential he possesses, no one is more aware of what it will take than Geronimo.

"I think the key is more of a mental kind of standpoint," Geronimo said. "I feel like if I was to always just be consistent and keep pushing myself and play hard every single time, the athleticism is going to shine.

"I feel like the next step into improving my game or showing my actual game is just being positive, always having a battery, always just trying to make the extra play. I feel like that would really show my potential."

Potential, of course, only takes you so far. Instead, it is up to the player to realize that budding talent and make the most of it when the opportunity presents itself. Now, with physical proof of his ability and an entire offseason to grow his skillsets, Geronimo's mindset could help propel not only himself but lift his team to heights Indiana hasn't experienced in recent memory.

"It's just a testament of showing that hard work pays off," said Geronimo of his improved confidence. "When I first came here, I feel like I had to prove myself and I put in the work to be able to prove myself. You know what happened, happened. So, I feel like me in the position where I'm at now is just proof that, hey, just keep your head down and work hard and you'll get to where you want to go eventually."

Whether the Geronimo we saw in Dayton becomes commonplace or proves to be the brightest of the flares to date, only time will tell. But if the former is the case and Geronimo is truly on the cusp of a breakout season, all signs point toward Indiana being in a prime position to take the next step to regaining their status as one of the giants in college basketball.

The keys are in Geronimo's hands, and it's ultimately up to him as to how far forward he goes. In any case, he has all the fuel he needs.

----

• Talk about it inside The Hoops Forum or The Football Forum

• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Follow us on Twitter: @IndianaRivals

• Like us on Facebook.