Bohannon earns superlatives from friends and coaches

Former Linn-Mar prep Jason Bohannon completed his home career at Wisconsin's Kohl Center tonight against Iowa. He finished with 11 points and a careeer-high nine rebounds in a 67-40 win over Iowa.

Before the game he was honored as one of two Wisconsin seniors in the team's home finale. It was emotional for the family, including his father, Gordy Bohannon, who played quarterback for Iowa in the 1982 Rose Bowl.

“He's just such a phenomenal kid to raise and such a great role model for his younger brothers,” Gordy Bohannon said. “He's a great basketball player but the compliments and letters that we get from around the state of Wisconsin, Iowa talk not about the player that he is, but the type of person that he is, As a father, that's what you really look for. It's emotional.”

Iowa sophomore Matt Gatens was an AAU teammate of Bohannon's with Martin Brothers Select. The two shook hands before the game and have great respect for one another.

“When I came into the high school ranks, he was the man,” Gatens said. “He was a guy I looked up to. He was always there to help me out in the Martin Brothers buses, and he's a great friend and somebody I've always watched. It's been a lot of fun seeing him have success but obviously not against us.”

Iowa Coach Todd Lickliter said he had "tremendous respect" for Bohannon.

"I think it's very obvious he's a winner," Lickliter said. "He continued to try to develop his game, he's a terrific shooter that hasn't been satisfied with that, obviously. He rebounds the ball, he guards well, he's got good strength. He may have been able to do it before, but you're seeing more now where he puts it on the floor and creates and makes shots. Over the last eight games he's just bene incredible."

Gordy Bohannon called the moment "bittersweet."

"We love Iowa," Gordy Bohannon said. "Lickliter's a great coach. I love the kids that play for him right now, but I'm really excited. I'm also bittersweet because it's the last game we get to watch Jason. It seems like yesterday we were having the same feelings going to the playoffs in high school going to The Barn (Veterans Auditorium) for the last time. We're proud of him."

“There are a lot of people who would like to be Jason Bohannon and Trevon Hughes,” Bo Ryan said. “I would.”