going to depend on him as a leader."

The story of Rayes Gallegos  if it continues on its current trajectory  will have a happy ending. Today, he joins Washington's C.J. Wilcox as former instate guys who have gone on to become stars elsewhere. But the four years between now and his state title conquest were as bumpy as you can get for a college basketball player.

A 6-foot-2 guard, Gallegos had to endure little to no playing time for two years, and a redshirt in his third season. Not many athletes would wait that long to see the floor. Gallegos is playing for his second coach, in a second system. Doc Sadler recruited him, offered him a scholarship and signed him. He was fired a year ago.

It wasa homesick Gallegos who almost transferred at the conclusion of his freshman season. He was all set to latch on at Weber State. Then he woke up one morning with an epiphany after a long talk with his mother, Maxine. For him, transferring would be akin to quitting, giving up.

Many thought he wasn't Division I material out of high school. Indeed, none of the three major instate schools offered him a scholarship. Jim Boylen at Utah  Gallegos' dream school  hardly cast a second look in his direction. Leaving Nebraska would be an admission that the naysayers were correct. Maybe he didn't have what it took.

Gallegos picked up the phone and called Sadler. He went back to Lincoln.

"I was scared and frustrated," Gallegos said. "I heard about