College basketball

Night will be special for pair of USF seniors

Will McDonald and Reggie Kohn have fond memories as they prepare for their final home game.

By PETE YOUNG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 5, 2003

It seems like a lifetime ago that they arrived at South Florida, yet the end is coming quickly.

That's the way it is for athletes whose college careers are winding down, and that's the way it feels today for Reggie Kohn and Will McDonald.

The seniors will play their final home game tonight, and the finish has arrived like an ambush.

"It has snuck up on me," McDonald said. "It was a quick season. It seems like it just started, like practice just started the other day."

"I don't think it's hit me yet, that this will be it." Kohn said. "Maybe a month after the season, when all the guys are working out again and I have nothing to do, maybe then it will hit me."

For Kohn, a point guard, the final home game carries extra weight. The thought of tonight's ceremony helped push him through chronic, painful leg injuries that had him considering quitting after his junior season.

"I considered at the beginning of the year walking away and not playing, but one of the things I thought about during that time was wanting to have Senior Night, wanting to play my last game here," Kohn said. "I think it's a special moment. It's something special to play your last home game, to have your parents and your family there to watch you play and walk off the court for the last time.

"I definitely think it will be sad, sad to run out there for the last time before the fans at USF."

Kohn persevered to become USF's and Conference USA's all-time assists leader, and he is closing on 1,000 career points, with 969.

McDonald also has overcome adversity to be exceptionally productive. The 6-foot-11 center leads the Bulls in scoring (16.3 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg) because of a commitment he made after his sophomore season.

McDonald transformed his physique and went from chubby bench-warmer to low-post menace. He is considered a possible NBA draft choice.

"I'm sad that I'm leaving, but I'm ready to move on to the real world and see what I can do," said McDonald, who has played the past several games with a broken thumb.

Kohn, because of his injuries -- he is playing with severe shin splints in both legs that could be stress fractures and has had chronic ankle problems -- will not pursue a pro career. Instead, he will become a coach.

"I want to stay around the game," Kohn said. "I'm looking forward to it."

The memories are coming to the forefront as the end nears.

"I remember my first dunk, my freshman year against Morgan State. I've got the (newspaper photo) on my wall," McDonald said. "I'll always remember my teammates the most out of everything, and all of the people who helped me get to this point."

"I loved playing in front of the home crowd," Kohn said. "I just love it, I love the atmosphere. I'll miss it. I may not have played well all the time, but I played as hard as I could."

After tonight, a road game Saturday at TCU and the C-USA tournament remain. The seniors plan to go out in style.

"I'm still thinking we're going to make a run in the (C-USA) tournament and go to the (NCAA Tournament)," Kohn said.

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