With all eyes on Pegues, he looked for his family

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The college basketball world took a crash course on Furman basketball this week as the Paladins captured the hearts of fans with the first upset of the tournament, and that smooth three from JP Pegues.

“No matter how many shots I miss I always tell myself the next one is going in,” said Pegues after the game.

Pegues had missed his last 15 three-point attempts, dating back to the SoCon semifinals. But on the biggest stage, he hit the biggest shot of his career.

“There have always been times as a little kid out in the backyard where you’re out there just counting down the time,” explained Pegues. “It’s five, four, three, two ... and you put up the shot. That’s kind of what it felt like yesterday. For me it was a dream come true.”

A dream that sent nearly 20-thousand fans in Orlando wild but Pegues was looking for just three of them.

“The first thing when I made the shot, I was looking into the stands, I was trying to look for my mom, my dad, my little brother. Just to see their reaction,” said Pegues.

“I definitely made contact,” said his father Dwayne. “I’ve watched his shot. I watched him plant his feet. I’ve seen it a thousand times. I was so excited for him. Extremely happy.”

A truly unforgettable moment for the entire family.

“My mom was boo-hoo crying. My dad was standing on furniture. Just yelling and screaming. It was a special moment for me and my family,” said JP.

“It all happened so fast but when it went in I just burst into tears,” said his mother Chevon.

“I’m a professional furniture stander when it comes to JP. I get excited. I get emotional,” said Dwayne. “I’ve watched him put in so much work and to finally get an opportunity to show his value.”

As the world saw JP Pegues break out to a national audience, the Pegues family saw a moment a long time in the making.

“I was so excited to see that he didn’t give up,” said Chevon. “That he kept going and that he knew that he was going to make some type of impact in that game and he knew he needed to.”

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