You could say Billy Blackmon has had to deal with his fair share of adversity during his basketball career. The senior from Wabasso, Fla., has faced numerous obstacles as a collegian, many of them strong enough on their own to break the spirit of a lesser man.

But Blackmon has a heart big enough to match his 6’10” frame. When the struggles of life threatened to sack his promising hoops career not once, but three times, he buckled down and overcame the challenge.

“I knew I wanted to play ball, but I wasn’t really recruited much coming out of high school,” says Blackmon. “The four-year schools that were looking at me advised me to go to junior college.”

So Blackmon, who once blocked 14 shots in a game at Sebastian River High School, began his collegiate career at Indian River Community College in his hometown of Wabasso. And it didn’t take long for him to realize that, despite the initial rejection, he would indeed get his chance to play basketball at the NCAA’s highest level.

“I figured out pretty early into my freshman year that I had an opportunity to play Division I basketball,” says Blackmon. “I had several schools that wanted me to come out after my first year, and I even took a few visits to see if it was the right time for me to make the jump.”

Then tragedy struck Blackmon’s family. “My mother passed away at the end of my freshman season,” Blackmon says, reflecting on the situation. “When that happened, I knew I wasn’t ready to branch out and leave my family.” For Blackmon, who was previously debating a jump to one of several four-year colleges across the country, the decision was suddenly easy: he would stay in Wabasso to be near his three older sisters and play a second season at Indian River.

Thanks to Blackmon’s strong work ethic and improving hardwood skills, he was able to garner more Division I attention during his sophomore season. Blackmon visited three schools, and when he set foot at Charleston Southern, he knew the fit was right.

“I felt really comfortable with the coaches and the guys on the team when I took my visit to CSU,” says Blackmon.

The rough blows didn’t stop coming once Blackmon arrived at CSU, however. In just his 11th collegiate game, against Virginia Tech, he broke his forearm scrambling for a loose ball. The injury was severe enough to end his season. Had it happened two or three games earlier, Blackmon could have applied for a medical redshirt. But since the injury occurred when the season was more than one-third of the way completed, the lanky shot-blocker’s first season at CSU was lost.

“I was really negative about the situation when it first happened,” says Blackmon somberly. “I felt like I’d worked hard to get an opportunity at Division I basketball, and now I couldn’t even play.”

The dedication Blackmon has shown in overcoming the injury has made him a leader amongst his Buccaneer teammates. And Blackmon, whose struggles have given him a different perspective, is more than willing to serve as an example to his teammates.

“I feel like I can be a leader to these guys because of what I’ve gone through,” says Blackmon. “I tell guys they can’t relax or take days off if they want to make the most of their opportunities.

“There might not be another year or even another day. You have to bring it every time you step on the floor.”