EUGENE, Ore. — They are about to go their separate ways. But you get a sense that Charlie Danielson and Thomas Detry will always be close.
They came to Illinois at the same time, joining a powerhouse team in 2012. They are ending their time together in the NCAA Championships, the fourth of their careers.
Danielson grew up in a small Wisconsin city (Osceola) with 2,500 residents. Detry grew up in a huge European city (Brussels) of 11.4 million.
Despite the differences in their backgrounds, an early friendship sprouted and continued to grow.
“They let their guard down right away,” Illinois coach Mike Small said.