Ever since he could heave a basketball high enough in the air to at least graze the net, Chad Kosmo has dreamt about playing big-time college basketball.

The former Belfast Area High School star has taken a long and circuitous route from youth leagues to college ball, but it finally led to a realization of his dream this season after he transferred to Division I independent Longwood University in Farmville, Va., from St. Petersburg Junior College (Fla.).

Not only has the Northport native attained his Division I goal, he has played – and played very well – against several Division I powers including the top-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini.

“That’s the biggest thing this season so far,” said the 6-foot-11, 249-pound junior center. “Just to get a chance to play against the nation’s best is great, and I was matched up with [James Augustine], a guy who’s probably going to the NBA.”

Future NBA player or not, Kosmo held his own against him and then some. He shot 6-for-6 from the field in 25 minutes. He also had seven rebounds and a blocked shot against an unbeaten Illini team that won the game 105-79.

The game was the first one in a “murderers’ row” stretch in which the Longwood Lancers played No. 1 Illinois, No. 17 Cincinnati, and NCAA Tournament contender Valparaiso during a four-day stretch.

“We called it the gauntlet,” said head coach Mike Gillian. “If you make it out the other side, you’re well-prepared for anything.”

With a 1-20 record and only 11 home games in a 30-game schedule, the Lancers’ whole season is a gauntlet.

“We haven’t won a lot yet, but we’re very, very competitive,” said Gillian, whose team’s tough schedule is due in part to its status as an independent program not affiliated with any conference. “It’s not tough for me because I see the improvement every day. The only tough part is all the tough work my guys are putting in because I’d like to see them rewarded for it.”

Despite the tough schedule, which also includes a date against preseason No. 1 Wake Forest at Winston-Salem, N.C., in February, Longwood hasn’t been a pushover. The Lancers trailed Illinois by eight with nine minutes left and was behind Cincinnati by four points with just over 10 minutes left.

Much like the Lancers are taking their lumps in their first season as a Division I team, Kosmo is taking his.

“The physical nature of Division I is the first thing you notice. You take the ball to the hole and you’re going to get pounded,” said Kosmo, who has added 29 pounds to his frame over the last two years. “Between that and balancing school work and practice, sometimes it’s a little overwhelming, but I think it’s all worth it.

“I’ve been dreaming of playing at this level since I started YWCA ball.”

After earning all-conference honors as a junior and senior at Belfast and being named a Maine McDonald’s Senior all-star, the only son of Carl and Helen Kosmo went to Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield and played a year of postgraduate ball before matriculating to St. Petersburg, where he was an all-Sun Coast Conference selection.

One of four players to start all 21 games this season for Longwood, Kosmo is fifth on the team in scoring with six points per game. He’s also averaging 4.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 17.6 minutes per game.

“He fits in great with all the guys we have in here. For some reason, a lot of these guys are overlooked and he was in a unique position to play Division I ball,” said Gillian. “He’s a big guy who blocks some shots and changes others and he’s done a great job on the defensive end, but what I like most about him is his willingness to work hard.”

The 22-year-old Kosmo, one of nine scholarship players on the squad, hopes to play professionally overseas after graduation.

“With bigger guys, you have to have a lot of patience with them both physically and fundamentally, but he could be much improved next season and he has potential to go on and continue playing after college,” Gillian said.

Wherever the next stop on his hoop odyssey is, one things certain for Kosmo. He’ll keep playing.

“I love playing the game,” he said. “So no matter if I’m playing Division I or playing in the park, I just want to get out there and give it my best.”