He’s not the superstar of the basketball team - or even on the roster.

 

But Kyle Cohen takes his role — all 15 seconds of it — just as seriously as any member of the team. And without him, team captain Matt Kingshott would be lost.

 

Cohen is his personal one-man-warm-up-squad.

 

Before each home game, he’s the fan who runs out from the student section to shoulder-bump Kingshott in mid-air as part of a pregame introduction routine for the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer and rebounder.

 

As the starters are introduced, Cohen shakes the jitters out, waiting for Kingshott’s name to be called last. Then he races several steps onto the court and leaps in the air to meet Kingshott near the free throw line three feet above ground level.

 

“It brings a new level of intensity for me,” Kingshott said. “It gets me ready for the game mentally. This is just another way to get me focused.”

 

For Cohen, it’s his one moment of glory — his moment of sheer joy and excitement. His 15 seconds of fame. And Cohen, a junior, wouldn’t miss it for anything.

 

“I was late for work. I was like 15 minutes late,” Cohen said about the recent homecoming game. “I didn’t want to blow off Kingshott, and I thought that would show a sign of … commitment. I don’t want him to get mad before a game, or discouraged.”

 

Inspired is more like it.

 

“That’s truly dedicated to the side-bump,” Kingshott said several days after the game when he realized Cohen showed up late for work to squeeze the side-bump into his schedule. “That’s impressive.

 

“I just see Cohen as a dedicated Cornerstone basketball fan. I think it’s another way for him to get involved in the basketball games. He’s at almost all the games, and he’s always near the front row cheering.”

 

Cohen spends all day preparing for his moment in the spotlight.

 

“Yeah, it’s more like I have to focus mentally, you know? And have in my mind what I’m going to do, what it’s going to look like, and make sure I don’t mess anything up.

 

“I almost did the game before last. My shoes were wet and I slipped on the floor. I seemed to regain my momentum, but it didn’t seem like as good of a shoulder-bump as I wanted it to be.”

 

He analyzes each shoulder-bump to see how they can improve.

 

“I noticed that every time we jump, he has his handout and mine are tucked in,” Cohen said. “It would be better if I could work on getting my hands out…”

 

Like a Golden Eagle soaring?

 

“Yeah, like that.”

 

Cohen got the job after the previous side-bumper was late, and he does not want to lose the role.

 

Cohen said Kingshott used to call the prior bumper, “My boy,” “but now that I’ve been doing it, it kind of raised my level of friendship with him. That’s how Kingshott sees it, anyway.”

 

And he does.

 

“Kyle and I are pretty good friends,” Kingshott said. “We get along really well. It’s just a really good friendship that we have, because it’s just really easy going and laidback.”

 

Every other starter side-bumps with teammate Dennis Jones during the pregame introductions, but at the beginning of the season Kingshott started the relatively new ritual to recognize his fans.

 

“I just wanted to do something to show that I’m glad that we have fans that come to the games, and I appreciate each one of them,” Kingshott said. “I think the more people you get involved, the more intensity you can bring to the game.”

 

Ever since, Kingshott has made sure Cohen shows up to each home game.

 

“I think it’s 50-50 both ways,” Kingshott said. “We both make sure and know that it’s going to happen.”

 

“If he sees me in person, he’ll ask me,” Cohen said. “But if not, he’ll text me over the phone and say, ‘Yo, shoulder-bump today?’ I’ll say, ‘Yeah, sure.’ If he can’t reach me over the phone, he’ll usually message me on Facebook.”

 

Cohen said it was “nerve-racking” at first.

 

“But right before we shoulder-bump, it’s kind of an energy rush,” Cohen said.” It gets me pumped too. It makes me feel special. It makes me feel like I’m kind of part of the team.”

 

Kingshott agreed.

 

“Anybody that comes to any of the Cornerstone basketball games and supports us is part of our team,” he said.