Lewis Geyer / Staff Photographer)
Even though he grew up in Serbia, Lazar Nikolic always watched American college basketball. Devotedly, and as frequently as possible.
From an early age, Nikolic harbored dreams of someday crossing the Atlantic Ocean to play NCAA basketball. This summer that dream at long last became a reality...and then, at least for a few harrowing hours, it appeared it was all going to be snatched away within the abyss of paperwork required by the NCAA to clear international athletes for collegiate competition.
All's well that ended well for Nikolic, sort of.