If it weren't for an awful set of circumstances, Justin Tuoyo's career arc could have been different.
Maybe the 6-foot-10 senior center and two-time reigning Southern Conference basketball defensive player of the year wouldn't be blocking shots for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Instead, the one-time standout pitcher could have been staring down the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant, ready to throw a fastball or sinker low and away from the reigning National League Most Valuable Player.
But because of one awful night in 2004, Tuoyo's devotion to playing baseball faded away.
It was then that Tuoyo's father, Anthony, was killed in a car accident. Monday afternoon, he recalled getting a call from his brother Cedrick at 3 in the morning back then.
The 9-year-old Tuoyo, who grew up playing pitcher and first base in Fayetteville, Ga., and still enjoys the game and watches the Braves play when he can, put the glove down and chose not to play again.
"It just didn't feel right anymore," he said Monday. "My dad would make it to every baseball game, and (the accident) happened in May during baseball season."
After that his mother, Janina, rejoined the work force. She had three jobs, during which time Tuoyo's aunt moved in with the family to help take care of things. Justin was the youngest of three sons, with Andre being the oldest at 18.
"I had a lot of coaches looking after me," Tuoyo said, adding that his third-grade teacher stayed with him for a while. "My mom made it (to games) when she could."
How good of a baseball player was he? Pretty good, according to Tuoyo.
"Out of high school I probably would have went pro," he said. "I was the real deal, to the point where the high school coach used to watch me as a kid and try to get me back out there in high school, but it just wasn't there."
But it was because of the accident that he chose to play basketball. He was a four-star prospect coming out of high school, ultimately choosing Virginia Commonwealth over Power Five conference schools such as Alabama, Clemson, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He spent a year at VCU but then considered stepping away from basketball, deciding he was done with the sport and college and heading back to Fayetteville. Then he got a call from Will Wade, Tuoyo's primary recruiter at VCU, saying Wade was taking the vacant UTC head coaching job and wanted him to come along.
During his three seasons at UTC he has blocked 264 shots and is fourth all-time in the Southern Conference history. Blocks were his primary contribution as a sophomore, but he's since developed other facets of his game, from 10.2 points per game to 13.3, 54 percent shooting to 65 and 64 percent free-throw shooting to 70. He's averaging a career-high 6.7 rebounds per game this season and recently topped the 1,000-point club, becoming the third active UTC player to do so (following Casey Jones and Greg Pryor).
"He's another from one year to the next that has really, really grown," current coach Matt McCall said. "A guy that at one time didn't like practice now has grown to love it, and understands that he is taking a huge step forward every single day.
"He's been such an imposing force in this league and has a lot of pride playing for this school and this university. He's an unbelievable person and it's been a joy to be around him for two years, seeing his growth, seeing his development. He deserves all the credit, because he's really tried to put the work in and come with the right mindset every day."
The next step isn't clear yet for Tuoyo, who graduated last May with a degree in sports management. Right now his focus is to win, accepting whatever transpires postseason as what "God has in store" for him, but one thing is clear: He doesn't want his mom to have to work again.
She'll make her last trip to McKenzie Arena this Saturday for Tuoyo's final home game against Mercer.
It's going to be a tough moment for all.
"I woke up this morning and realized it was my last week," Tuoyo said. "When I left VCU, I lost every interest in playing basketball, but being in Chattanooga has been a great experience. The type of person I've become in four years - I've grown a lot individually with everything I do, how I try to carry myself and conversations I've had with people I've met. It's crazy how much I've changed as a man. I would have never thought I'd see myself in Chattanooga, but just to be here, be part of this team and what we've built here has been great. The community is great, I love being here and I love playing at home.
"Every time I go out there, I'm not just playing for UTC. I'm playing for everyone in the arena, everyone at home. I just want to win for everybody."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.