WGEM.com: Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and RadioJustin Brock: A Unique Journey

QUINCY, IL (WGEM) -- The first time Justin Brock stepped onto the floor in his college career it wasn't as a Quincy University Hawk, it was as an Eastern Illinois Panther. 

Now nearly 5 years later, after transferring to Quincy, Brock has helped anchor a Hawk program with one of the more storied careers in school history.

"Honestly I think that time has kind of stood still," said Brock. 

"One of the reasons is because I've sat out two years. I can reflect back, but my freshman year at Eastern seems like a decade ago."

If you believe that 'Everything happens for a reason,' you may not have to look any further than Justin Brock to find truth in the saying.

Out of high school, his choice was Eastern Illinois, but that changed two seasons later when Brock put his trust in Marty Bell.

"The entire time coach Bell was recruiting me, he would always say, 'You know, no matter what your decision is, you always have a home here at QU,' and that always stuck in my mind, said Brock."

The time Marty Bell spent recruiting Justin was well worth it.

"He's such a great kid, and he's a joy to be around," said Bell. 

"He provides great inspiration to our other players. I'm going to miss having him around at practice, because you know what you get out of him every day and those are hard guys to find."

Nearly two years ago, a healthy Justin Brock helped lead QU to the Sweet 16 against St. Josephs.  A heart breaking loss that he says sticks with him to this day.

"That game, was the best game I've ever been a part of my entire basketball career," said Brock. 

"It was a loss, it stinks, but every day I think some part of it jumps in my mind and I'll find myself thinking about it."

While that loss was one of the toughest in Justin's career, it's a lesson that has paid off.

"Just one more rebound, one more made basket, just one more thing, and that's something that coach Bell always goes over with us," said Brock. 

"We were that close to getting to the Elite 8. Its something that we all have in the back of our minds and I think that's what has really pushed us to become a better team."