Anyone walking through Varsity Gym Wednesday afternoon would have thought they had stepped back in time eight years with former Appalachian State great Tyson Patterson roaming the hardwood again.

Patterson, who suited up from 1996-99 and led the Mountaineers to their last NCAA appearance in 2000, returned to Boone for the afternoon while taking a break from his international basketball career.

Since leaving the High Country, Patterson has played professionally in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland and most recently Finland. There's no end in sight for the diminutive 5-9 guard who in his words, plans on playing, "until there's nothing left and the wheels fall off."

Typically his overseas season lasts between 8-10 months with his professional team providing housing, a car and food for the duration of his contract. Over the summer months, he finally gets the opportunity to return home, visit family and friends and most importantly decompress and refocus for the next season.

The rigors of professional basketball definitely take their toll at times on Patterson as he notes that, "sometimes it becomes so professional and business-like that it takes away from the enjoyment of playing basketball. When that happens, you've got to re-center yourself and remember that you're there to play and have fun."

The continued opportunity to play a game for a living is something that is certainly not lost on him.

"I feel very blessed and have to thank the Lord for even giving me the opportunity to play," Patterson said. "It's still like a dream come true. Ever since I was a little kid, I've dreamt of playing basketball. God provided that chance for me and I'm just trying to make the best of it."

When the wheels finally fall off and it's time to hang it up, Patterson envisions a future career coaching basketball and helping children.

"I grew up in a poor environment and have seen a lot of kids miss out on opportunities where if someone were there to help them out and motivate them they'd be in a whole different situation," Patterson said. "I feel like even if I can only get through to one or two kids it would be worth it. Even before I came to college, a goal of mine has always been to help kids do better."

Patterson also knows that even eight years after leaving campus, he still has an impact on the program with his name littering the Appalachian record book. However, in recent years another guard cut from the same undersized mold, D.J. Thompson, began eclipsing a handful of Patterson's records. Patterson still ranks first all-time in game (14) , season (218) and career assists (638

"Personally, it makes me mad to see them broken, but records were made to be broken," Patterson said. "If I can set the standard for another player to break and in the process make him a better player, that's good. It makes me feel good that people compare players like that to me. Being undersized and underrated, I know that maybe I helped open the door for the next guy like that."

One thing that no other player can take away from Patterson are the memories of being a part of one of two teams in ASU history to advance to the NCAA Tournament. Over the course of his four-year career, the Apps won 79 games, three-straight North Division titles and appeared in the SoCon championship game each of those three seasons.

"When we finally won the conference tournament and made it to the NCAA tournament, it felt like a million pounds had been lifted off my back," he said. "Every year that we lost made me focus even more during my senior year and those losses made it even sweeter when we finally won it."

"Making it to the NCAA tournament was a wonderful feeling," Patterson said. "It was everything I dreamed of growing up, everything I worked for. It's hard to explain but it felt like a true blessing from God."

"When you look back on it, you can't believe there were so many memories and how special it is to be a part of Appalachian basketball history."