WEST LIBERTY - Mission accomplished.

Well, almost.

For University of Charleston guard Paul John "P.J." Reyes, he's expecting to graduate in May with a degree in sports management.
On a personal level, he has come to terms with his team's 79-76 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional quarterfinal loss to Wheeling Jesuit on Saturday at the Academic, Sports and Recreation Complex.

The Golden Eagles finished 26-7. Only four teams in UC history posted more victories.

Reyes, the West Virginia Conference Player of the Year, attempted only 10 shots and finished with just seven points, while tying his season-low for minutes played with just 21. He had five assists, but finished with no steals and no rebounds.

He attempted two of his signature alley-oops, and both failed, including one with 11 seconds left and UC behind by one point.
Reyes was the last player remaining in the UC locker room following Saturday's disappointment, but still was smiling.

His arms riddled with tattoos and long hair, typically braided often sends the wrong message.

Perhaps the only one it should send is that he likes tattoos.

"None of them are bad," said Reyes, moments after his final college basketball game. "I have my mom, my dad on there, I got love, faith, heart. They all mean something, nothing gang-related.

"I get people not wanting to look at me because of the tattoos and the hair. I have one of the biggest hearts of anybody. I'll do anything for anybody."

His large and instinctive heart took over in UC's home game against West Virginia State. During a scrum before play was stopped near the UC student section, a little boy dropped a ball onto the floor and ran out after it. Reyes immediately recovered the ball, handed it to the boy and helped him back to his seat.

Sometimes there are more important things than basketball, even against your biggest rival.

These were lessons learned through a tough post-high school life for Reyes. He avoided the bad element in the Detroit area, but his father didn't. Marlon Randall Ozier was shot and killed in August 2007, three months after Reyes graduated high school.

"It was hard for me," Reyes said. "I wasn't even going to go to college."

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Reyes picked himself up and went to Lamar (Colo.) Community College. After two seasons there - and a 3.0 grade point average - Reyes sought the Division I route and went to South Alabama.

He played in 10 games and averaged 8.1 minutes per contest. His shining Division I moment was a 12-point performance in a 15-point loss to LSU.

"We were down 20 and I hit four straight 3s and brought us back and got taken out of the game," Reyes said. "The next game I didn't play one second."

Reyes left, and UC Coach Mark Downey recruited him to play his final season for the Golden Eagles.

The campaign ended on Saturday, but life has just begun for the 23-year-old Reyes. After five years and three colleges, Reyes will finish what is a surprisingly typical, but not easy, career.

"You have to adapt to everybody, meet new teammates, new coaches and get familiar with everybody at the school," he said. "I'm a guy with tattoos and everybody's looking at me."

He has a 1-year-old daughter - Guilana - who lives with her mother near Tampa, Fla. After graduation, Reyes will head home to Michigan or to Florida.

The goal is to play for pay, but through his vast travels, Reyes has learned healthy perspective.

"I'd love to keep playing basketball," he said. "If it doesn't work out, it's the big world now. I'll graduate and find a good job to support me and my family ... my daughter the most.

"Going to college was the best thing that ever happened to me. A lot of people can't do it, but then you go to school for free. That means a lot."