When Kevin Senghore-Peterson looked up at the scoreboard, he winced at the final margin. On a day which he played his first international game with the Swedish National Team, the forward would remember this game for a different reason.

                "We played Germany in the first game of my first tournament with the national team," Senghore-Peterson said. "I'll never forget it because it was a wakeup call for me. We lost to Germany by 64 points. It was the first time that I went up against kids that were bigger and more athletic than me."

                Sweden would win one game in that tournament but there weren't any more blowout losses for the team. Despite a last-second loss to Russia, Senghore-Peterson showed his capabilities when he scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the one-point setback. Even though the team lost, he saw how much progress was made, a trend which continued beyond that tournament.

                "We ended up playing that same Germany team about half a year later and lost by only three points," Senghore-Peterson said. "We made a major jump in maturity and development so that was a great feeling."

                Before that trip to Denmark, Senghore-Peterson began his international journey as a 14-year old when he was invited to play in a tournament which featured the best players from each region of Sweden. The national team coaches were there with the hopes of finding players who would fit on their roster and could help Sweden compete against the best in the world.  Senghore-Peterson was named the Most Valuable Player of that tournament, helping him catch the attention of those coaches.

                When the selection process was done, Senghore-Peterson was one of those chosen few who went on to represent his country. As a member of the U-16 team, he traveled to Denmark for his first international playing experience.

                "When I became active with the U-16 team, I knew what it took to get to that level," Senghore-Peterson said. "All that hard work paid off because the coaches and scouts ranked me as one of the top 20 prospects in all of Europe."

                With things going so well, Senghore-Peterson seemed poised for an outstanding career with the national team. But later in that year, he would suffer a partial tendon tear during the European Championship that would sideline him for nearly a year.

                "I had a choice to have surgery or just do rehab," Senghore-Peterson said. "I chose rehab because the chance of it not tearing again is much smaller if you do rehab rather than surgery. I tried to practice during the rehab but I was so out of rhythm that I couldn't make shots."

                The injury carried into his freshman season of high school where he struggled with his inability to take the court and help out his teammates.

                "I was so out of shape because I gained 20 pounds just like that," Senghore-Peterson said. "That was a learning experience in itself. I was down because I couldn't play but it helped me develop mental toughness. I love the game and there wasn't anything else that I wanted to do, but I had to handle that feeling. It was difficult seeing my team struggle because I wanted to go through that struggle with the team."

                Fortunately for Senghore-Peterson, Coach Michael Bree was there to help him through the difficult year. Bree, a two-time captain at Davidson College under Coach Bob McKillop, knew Senghore-Peterson when both were at Hogsbo Basket. Senghore-Peterson started playing there at the age of 10 and continued until he was 15 years old.

                "The person that influenced me the most was my coach Michael Bree," Senghore-Peterson said. "He coached me since I was 13 years old and became my mentor. Our team wasn't super talented but we played hard and loved to compete. That was something that Coach Bree emphasized and taught us every day."

                Bree coached Hogsbo Basket, a club program which Senghore-Peterson played with for five years.  Bree would eventually receive the chance to coach at Marks Gymnasium, a high school where Senghore-Peterson attended. When Bree asked him to join him, the forward was happy to do so.

                "Coach Bree played at Davidson, played overseas, and coached in the D-League so he had a lot of experience," Senghore-Peterson said. "He was so smart and cared about me as a person and not just as a player. All the hard work he did with the team and working with me individually made me the player I am today. He was the one who told me I shouldn't play in the post because of my good shooting and dribbling abilities. He even played me as a point guard so I would develop those skills more. He watched each player and always put him in a position where he could succeed."

                Bree's relationship with Senghore-Peterson was instrumental in his comeback from the ligament injury. When the rehab took longer than expected, the student-athlete began to question his decision and wonder if he would play again. But his love for the game and the support of Coach Bree took over and brought him back to court.

                "I guess I never really gave up because I am stubborn," Senghore-Peterson said with a smile. "And Coach Bree came in that point and told me I had to keep things in perspective. He reminded me that playing Division I college basketball was my goal since I was 13. He said I still had two more years and that he would do everything he could to get me back on track."

                Bree was true to his promise. When Senghore-Peterson came back to the hardwood, coach and player worked together in pursuit of that dream, which became reality for the young man when he accepted an offer to attend and play basketball at Fairfield University.

                "I didn't know a lot about Fairfield," Senghore-Peterson said. "I sent emails out to I think every school to try and make contact because I missed so much time with the injury. I got some answers here and there and looked at some MAAC schools. But once Coach (Tom) Parrotta talked to me, I felt this was the place for me. When my mom and I came for a visit, I knew this was the place from the moment I set foot on campus. It's a beautiful campus and there are so many resources here. It's just a great setup to develop as a player and as a student."

                He has fit in as a basketball player, quickly acclimating to Head Coach Sydney Johnson's Running Stags style of play. His qualities as a player have certainly suited the transition from playing in Sweden to the United States.

                "I am athletic with speed and the ability to jump," Senghore-Peterson said. "I am aggressive and tough. I can shoot the ball but can also put the ball on the floor and attack the basket. I need to work on passing the ball back out because right now I am going so fast that I don't always recognize the defense which gets me caught sometimes. I can also post up and pound the glass for rebounds."

                Off the court, Senghore-Peterson has also been trying to get used to his new home. Fortunately, he has a band of brothers in his teammates who have been helping him get acquainted with the life in the United States.

                "It's been a good transition because my teammates really help me," Senghore-Peterson said. "It was kind of a culture shock because some of your customs are different than ours so I was asking 'why are they doing this?'. I am used to people being in their own world. Here in America, everyone is so open and loves talking. At first, I thought it was a bit weird. Now, I'm saying hi to people as I walk by. It may seem like a small thing to you but for me it was a big thing because we don't do that at home."

                But there will be many other things to which Senghore-Peterson will need to become accustomed during his four-year stay at Fairfield University. With this year's talented Fairfield University roster, a better experience when looking up at the scoreboard is at the top of the list.