Feb. 28, 2007
By: Emily Rickerson
As they enter the court on Saturday night in the UCF Arena, senior basketball players Lavell Payne, Josh Peppers and Adam Gill will be filled with mixed emotions about their final game as Golden Knights.
"It's kind of sad but then again it is exciting all at once," Peppers said. "It is a big step in my life. I am thrilled and yet sad at the same time. I am leaving a great university and leaving a legacy. It will be mixed emotions this Saturday night."
Peppers has played all four years of his college career at UCF. As a freshman, he appeared in all 31 contests and helped his team to an Atlantic Sun Championship title and appeared in the NCAA Tournament verses Pittsburgh. In 2005 he was part of the repeat A-Sun Championship team where he recorded 14 points, had six boards and a game-high four steals in the title game against Gardner-Webb.
During Peppers junior year, he ranked ninth in Conference USA in scoring at 13.7 points per game and recorded double-figures in scoring on 21 occasions. His final year has been a successful one as he currently leads the team in field goals made (130), points (386) and scoring average (13.8). Peppers was also named C-USA Player of the Week on Feb. 12 after averaging 19 points in victories over Marshall and East Carolina.
Payne came to UCF in 2005 from Tallahassee Community College. As a junior, Payne appeared in 26 games, making 11 starts and finished up the year by leading the team in field goal percentage (.511). As a senior he currently leads the team in both offensive (58) and defensive (92) rebounds and is recognized by Golden Knight fans as a power dunker.
"When I dunk and the crowd gets wild, it is an amazing feeling," Payne said. "Whether it is a fast break or just a dunk period, the atmosphere of the crowd gets the adrenaline in me rushing. During a game against Bethune-Cookman I remember I had a huge dunk. It was an and-one and everything. It was one of the best feelings I've ever experienced."
A redshirt junior, Gill is scheduled to graduate this summer. As a redshirt freshman in 2005, he played in 27 games and saw action in the NCAA tournament game against Connecticut. During Gill's junior year he appeared in all 29 games and made 15 starts while accumulating 11 blocked shots on the season.
"It is sad finishing up here," Gill said "I guess you have to move on eventually, but it will be sad on Saturday especially for me, (Josh) Peppers and Lavell (Payne)."
Saturday's game will mark the last time the three get to sport the Gold and Black on their home court. Peppers, Payne and Gill will appear on the floor one last time when they enter the Dungeon escorted by their families. It will be a rough farewell for the three young men as they say goodbye, to what seemed to them as a memorable, yet momentary college basketball experience.
"This game is the last go-around," Payne said "It feels like I just came here, like I just enrolled here at UCF and it is automatically just gone right away."