With half a minute remaining in a blow out game in late December 2014 against Franciscan University, Jon Knab scored his first points as a Yellow Jacket.

Knab stripped the ball from freshman Daniel McElroy and had a breakaway layup in the paint.

He finished his freshman year scoring a total of just four points.

Three years later, on a similar fast break layup, Knab scored his 1,000th point as a Yellow Jacket and made it into program history as the 34th athlete to do so.

In the past four years, the team has experienced highs and lows, but to Knab – its been worth it all the way.

During his freshman year, the Yellow Jackets made it to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship and lost by six points to Saint Vincent. Just three years later, the team didn’t finish in the top eight of the conference and missed the playoffs.

Entering his final season, for Knab, it wasn’t just about reaching 1,000 career points but pushing the team towards what it had once been – a conference contender.

“For me personally, 1,000 [points] was a goal of mine coming into the year,” Knab said. “[But I] also really [wanted] to develop as a leader and lead our guys with the other seniors… honestly [it was about] just bouncing back and really turning into to the team we knew we could be coming into the year after a season like last season.”

With one game remaining in the regular season, he has achieved both goals. After missing the postseason last year, the Yellow Jackets are a playoff team again- with Knab leading the way.

While Knab and fellow senior wing Kendall Paige are the only remaining players on the roster who went to the conference championship almost four years ago, Knab doesn’t forget the memory.

“For me personally, it was a blast freshman year winning all those games,” Knab said. “Being in that atmosphere of the championship game – it was unreal. It won’t be something that I’ll forget… I really think it helps with experience knowing what it takes to get there and what it takes to get into that championship game.”

However, playoff aspirations under the jersey of a Waynesburg University Yellow Jacket wasn’t always in Knab’s future. Growing up in a basketball family, with a father who coached throughout his childhood and even for Knab in his final two years of high school, it wasn’t until his senior year Knab knew he wanted to play at the collegiate level.

Even then, Waynesburg was just one of many options. After visiting half a dozen schools, Knab said his decision came down to two institutions. Knowing Waynesburg offered him the best opportunity to play basketball, Knab took the opportunity.

He remembers his freshman year, when he played a total of 22 minutes and scored four points. He remembers how he and other younger players looked up to senior leaders like Jacob Fleegle and Jason Propst. Four years later, Knab has inherited the veteran leadership from the former standouts – a transition he wasn’t sure he would achieve.

“I never really thought about [becoming a senior leader] freshman year, really [I was] just worrying about the next year and getting better,” Knab said. “But I think as [my] sophomore and junior year played out, I definitely saw myself as a guy who would come back as a senior and hopefully develop all three years and then be the best I can be senior year.”

Reflecting back on the last four years of basketball, Knab said he realizes just how far he’s grown, on and off the court.

“I honestly think I’ve improved every single aspect of my game possible here at Waynesburg,” Knab said. “I think I’m a completely different player than I was in high school, which is something that I’m proud to say.”

Knab is ranked third in the conference in scoring, averaging more than 16 points per game and nearly five rebounds per game.

Now, with one game remaining before the Yellow Jackets enter the playoffs, for the final time in Knab’s four-year career, Knab said he isn’t focusing on the passing moments he has left on the court.

“I try not to think about it too much – that it could be over soon,” Knab said. “[I’m] just trying to focus on this week and then the playoffs after that. But it is crazy knowing that we just have [one] regular season game left in my college career and then it’s up to us after that.”

But even when Knab ultimately walks off the court for the final time as a Yellow Jacket, he’ll remain eternally in program history as a 1,000-point scorer, and one of the most successful basketball players the school has seen in recent history.